Wild
by Mered
Summary: Ed decides he wants to find love, something wild, something vibrant and above all something passionate.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story is the first in a series. Please remember to enjoy. =) **

Ed managed to dodge the first man's punch; he was however not lucky enough to dodge the second man's punch and it caught him in the stomach making him gag. Still, he stopped on the instep of the third guy – really it wasn't fair that it was three to one – and punch _him_ in the gut. He whirled into a round house kick smacking the first man in the chest and sent him sprawling back into the pavement. He subdued the second guy with a punch to the nose. The second guy who had his hand clapped to his – probably broken – nose muttered a curse and got out of the way as the third man charged at Ed with the full force of a rampaging bull. Ed managed to dodge the full-on attack but found himself at a disadvantage because now that the three men had recovered they were all stalking towards him. He sighed with irritation. Of course it would have to be the night when he was supposed to be home – and what were these guys doing in Risembool anyways?

Irritated Ed punched the first one in the head, then gave him a good long whack to the gut but before he could take care of the other two a wall captured them. He looked up the hill at his grinning brother.

"Al!" he called cheerfully up and waved.

"Hello, Brother. Run into some problems?"

"Yeah, but I was dealing with it. Do you know who these men are? Generally speaking the last time I was here we didn't have crime."

"Mmm." Alphonse acknowledged. "Unfortunately I don't know who they are or what they want. I suppose we can ask them. Crime has been rising here for some reason. I've poked around a bit but-" Al shrugged and left his sentence hanging.

Ed slapped a hand to his brother's shoulder and squeezed. "In any event I'm glad to be back. It's been a long trip this time."

Al hugged his brother tightly. "Yep! And you missed a whole bunch of things!"

"Like what?" Ed asked as they trudged up the hill together.

"Mei and Ling came to visit –officially- and Breda was promoted to first lieutenant. Havoc came to visit – he's walking perfectly now. But he said as much as he enjoyed the army he doesn't think he'll be rejoining up any time soon."

Ed made a face. "I wouldn't either. I'll have to send Breda a congratulations."

Alphonse laughed. "Actually, Gracia invited me to come stay with her at Central for a week or so. I don't think she'd object to an extra guest."

"Has Winry been back to Rush Valley recently?"

"The other week actually. She said she wants to set up a shop in Central, get into the big world of automail. Spread the love I think she said. And," Al added, "she told me that Riza said she'd teach her how to shoot a gun. Not that Winry needs to learn, but they were bonding or something."

Edward laughed. "Well, I guess I'll have even more reason not to damage my leg."

"Incentive," Al wriggled his eyebrows and bumped shoulders with Ed. Ed bumped his shoulder back against Al's and so began an elbow-shoulder jabbing contest that lasted all the way through the door where Pinako promptly told them to cut it out.

As Ed folded back the sheets on the bed he looked to Al who was already sleeping deeply and smiled. He still wanted to shout out to the world that he loved Al and that Al was _whole_. Sometimes he had to take out the picture he kept in his suitcase and look at it. The picture featured a smiling Al who was leaning on a stone wall as he tilted his head up to the sun. The picture never failed to make Ed smile.

He slipped into bed and closed his eyes falling into a deep sleep.

When he woke in the morning the sun was slanting brightly down across his face and he grumbled. The footsteps alerted him to the fact that there was somebody standing in the doorway.

"You missed breakfast," Winry remarked.

"Wha t'me'sit?"

"It's twelve fifteen you lazy ass."

Ed grumbled and peeled his face from the pillow to look at Winry who was standing in her greasy overalls with hands on her hips and a wrench in one of them. She smiled at him and he smiled back.

"It's good to be home."

"It's good to have you home."

Ed swung out of bed and stood up, stretching. He covered his yawn with a hand and sauntered into the bathroom across the hallway.

"There's some shampoo and soap in there, and the towels are where they usually are!" Winry called after him as he closed the door.

After a shower that made him feel decent once again he headed downstairs to have lunch.

Lunch ended up being a picnic in the backyard with sandwiches, soda pop, crackers, cheese and a warm apple pie for dessert. Ed lay back in the grass content and full. Happiness burbled slowly in his stomach as he watched clouds stream by. He rolled his head to the side to watch Al and Winry chatter happily.

He narrowed his eyes and watched more closely. Al had a soft dusting of pink high on his cheeks and Winry was constantly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and she too seemed to be embarrassed.

Hmmm. Was something going on there? He watched as Al casually touched her knee and Winry touch his hand. Aaah. So. Al liked Winry and Winry liked Al.

Ed turned onto his side in the grass and stared into the distance. He hadn't thought that Al might've liked Winry. The three of them had always laughed about the fact that Winry said she'd marry Al – but Ed had assumed that Winry had had a crush on him. I was wrong, he thought wryly. Winry liked – and probably always has – liked Al.

He felt slightly left out, not that he was _jealous _per se, just that, he longed for something like that. Something intimate and wonderful. Something…vibrant…passionate, _wild_.


	2. Chapter 2

Ed woke the next morning to Al talking on the telephone. His voice was a low murmur and every so often he would laugh at something on the other end of the telephone.

"I'll see you soon, Elysia. Will you hand the phone to your mother now?"

Apparently Elysia had because Al was talking to Gracia now, "It's only if you don't mind having an extra person Mrs. Hughes." Al's voice paused for a moment. "Thank you, Mrs. Hughes. We'll see you tomorrow then."

Ed heard the thunk of the receiver being put down and he grimaced as he cowered beneath the sheets on the bed. _I'm such an idiot. Afraid to face my own brother. _

"Brother! You need to get up and repack if you've unpacked – we're leaving for Central this evening!"

Ed sat up slowly and watched the doorway as his brother appeared. "So soon?"

"Well, when I told Mrs. Hughes you were back she was more than excited to see us. Elysia too."

Ed shrugged off the rest of the covers and stood stretching for a moment before he passed his brother and went to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

Winry was hovering over their shoulders that day as they prepared for the trip back to Central. She kept bugging them both about making _sure_ they told Gracia how much they appreciated her having them.

"Winry," Al finally said plaintively, "can you please let us finish packing in peace? I know you're excited and there are a lot of things you want us to tell her, but perhaps writing her a letter from you is better? That way we can deliver it to her personally?"

How did Al become so diplomatic? Ed wondered. Telling Winry what to do – sometimes even suggesting something – caused a violent reaction. Ed would know; he'd been hit more than once by one of those temper tantrums she seemed so fond of.

But Winry had agreed and had procured paper and a pen and was sitting with them and writing a letter to Gracia.

When Winry left for a bathroom break, Ed glanced around to make sure no one would notice and leaned over to read her letter.

_Mrs. Hughes,_

_First of all, thank you for letting those two hooligans stay with you. If they become a bother just give me a call and I'll whip them into shape for you. They have absolutely no resistance whatsoever. (Ed especially). Anyways, how are you doing? I hope you and Elysia are both doing well! I really wish I could come and see you both soon. But things have really started to pick up with this business and I don't have much personal time anymore. Be sure to stay healthy! And if you ever want to get some country air feel free to come by, you're always welcome here in our home. After all you and Mr. Hughes did so much for us. Please tell Elysia I'll be there for her birthday and am bringing her a wonderful gift! (I'm also having Al and Ed bring you a gift with this letter.)_

_Winry Rockbell. _

Ed glared death at the piece of paper. He and Al were not _hooligans_ they were just rougher around the edges than those high-and-mighty boys she was so used to seeing in her magazines. He lamented the loss of one of his shirts – it had far too many holes in it to even consider bringing – and threw it aside. As he shifted through his clothing he realized he didn't have a whole lot in actuality. Not that he cared – but it would be nice to have some clothing that fit. Most of his old clothes were too small for him to wear. When he was in Central he'd see if Gracia knew of any good stores where he could get his clothing altered. Or preferably some new clothing that was cheap and durable.

When Al returned they chatted amicably, randomly about anything that came to mind. To Ed, Al seemed to be avoiding the subject of alchemy. But if it made Al uncomfortable he wouldn't bring it up, he'd wait for the right moment to tell Al that he didn't miss the alchemy because he had what he wanted most: his brother back.

Gracia smiled as she made her way around the kitchen humming. Elysia was off in the living room playing with – marbles? Makeup? Gracia wasn't quite sure, but her daughter's interests were constantly changing – aside from one. Alchemy. Ever since she had known Uncle Roy she's been curious about it. But after meeting the Elric brothers she adored it. She was yammering about it all the time to her friends – always looking for stories that dealt with alchemy.

When the doorbell rang she heard Elysia race to get it. Gracia quietly wondered who was at the door – certainly not the Elrics, it was only early afternoon. She didn't expect them until around seven that evening.

Gracia moved to greet her guest. "Roy!" she said in surprise. But she smiled kindly at him. "It's been a while."

He moved forward and kissed her cheek. "Yes it has. I'm sorry, it's been very busy. But I thought I'd drop by and say hello because I have the afternoon off."

"Why don't you stay for dinner?" she asked him. "It's stew and I really think I've made too much of it."

"I'd love to," he smiled and for a moment Gracia missed her husband more than anything in the world.

Ed grinned as he slapped down the card and pronounced the game his win. Al glared at him. "Cheater!" he accused.

"Did not!" Ed retaliated.

Al, doing his best to be mature, did not respond to the challenge. Instead he glanced out the window and patted the basket that held the apple pie at his side. Winry had made it special for Gracia, to show her she was putting the recipe to good use.

When they arrived at the train station Ed practically galloped off of it and into the street, grinning. Al couldn't stop the grin either as they raced to Mrs. Hughes home. At the door they were greeted by an enthusiastic Elysia who said another guest had dropped by unexpectedly. Gracia hugged them gently and thanked them for the apple pie and Winry's letter before ushering them into the sitting room.

The boys were surprised by Mustang's presence but not perturbed by it in the least. They had made some sort of peace with the man, and the greeted him warmly as well. Ed gave him a brief nod and handshake, and Al, grinned and gave him a handshake as well.

"Good to see you boys, you both look well."

"Oh, Al's certainly, _well_." Ed muttered.

"Jealous?"

"Hah! She's an abusive –" he looked at Elysia who was playing with a makeup kit on the floor, "person. No way."

And so, the night began.


	3. Chapter 3

The night began well enough, with Al, Ed and Roy helping set the table. Gracia smiled at them appreciatively and finished serving dinner. Ed chomped down on the quiche (oh, Gracia knew how to cook!) and hummed happily.

"I could die now and be forever happy."

"Brother," Al's voice was disapproving, "Don't say such horrible things."

"I didn't say anything!"

Al's eyes narrowed vindictively. "You meant that you can't stand Winry's cooking. You _insulted_ her intentionally because you're mad at me!"

Ed's hands slammed down on the table. "I _did not!_"

"Oh don't give me that! Stop being petty!"

"_Petty_?" Edward seethed.

"I'll show you _petty_ when I tear your – your head off and stuff it up you –"

"Go ahead!" Al snapped back. "I _dare_ you to continue that sentence!"

"I would if-if!"

"You can't even get a _word_ out without swearing! You claim to be so intelligent but look – you can't say a sentence without a swear!"

"I damn well can!"

"Oh _yeah?_ What was that then?"

Ed's face turned bright red and he hissed, "I _can_! See! No swears!"

"Doesn't count – that's not a sentence!"

Ed's hand seemed to be ready to break the table in half, and Elysia was starting to look upset at the commotion.

"You're going to make a little girl cry!"

"You started it Al!"

This time it was Al who slammed his hands on the table.

Eyes blazing they stared each other down.

Ed took the offensive and swung at Al. Al staggered back in surprise but he reciprocated and lunged at Ed. Ed leaped across the table, taking Al to the ground.

"I'll _kill_ you!"

The boys scrabbled on the floor, Gracia stood by horrified.

The insults and the shouts from both boys nearly broke her heart. She hated to see them fighting so; but something was wrong between them. They were hurting for some unknown reason. She had a feeling it was that Edward was hurting – that he felt abandoned left out, that after everything Al loved Winry more than him. She however had never seen two brothers more devoted to each other.

Before she could step in, she saw Roy pulling Ed off Al forcefully. While he was doing this, she ushered Elysia to her room and returned to see Roy holding Edward who was still snarling back.

"What happened?" she asked softly. "You two never fight!"

Ed's chest was heaving and he had scratches on his face, no doubt from Alphonse's nails.

Al looked at her. "I don't know. He's been like this for days. I thought it was just _jealousy_. I thought he was mad that Winry and I were seeing each other."

Ed _almost_ managed to extricate himself from Mustang's clutches but without the automail arm Ed didn't have nearly as much leverage and the man hung on.

"You _lied_. You avoid the topic of alchemy. Are you scared I'm some fragile kid? I'm _not!_ I'm grown up now, Alphonse! I may not be able to perform alchemy, but I'm still an alchemist!"

Al ground his teeth. "You're the one who was avoiding it! You couldn't even look at me for a while!"

Ed bared his teeth in a feral snarl. "Couldn't _look _at you? I was so overjoyed that every time I even glanced at you I nearly _cried_."

Gracia swore she could see tears prickling at the corners of Edward's eyes. He sniffled. He _was_. Gracia was shocked. She'd never seen him cry. Edward always presented a strong front, when he was younger it was less apparent. Gracia glanced at Roy. She could guess where Edward had gained some of his stoicism from.

Apparently Roy deemed the young man fit to let go because he stepped back and let the arms that had been caging Edward drop. Ed sucked in a breath.

"Alphonse. I love you, I really do. But…but sometimes I don't understand Winry. Or why you like her. Or maybe I do. I just…"

"Brother," Al said now that he'd calmed down. "You _really _need to get laid."

Mustang made a noise that sounded like a cross between a snort and a laugh that was aborted.

Gracia's mouth twitched.

"Shut up!" Edward shrieked incandescent with rage again.

Al couldn't resist egging him on. "Bipolar much?"

Ed's face turned even redder. This time Gracia laughed out loud. "You boys are so close that I'm surprised you haven't argued more often."

"You should see us when we have tons of space to spar!" Alphonse said with excitement. Ed gave him a baleful glare. "Brother is jealous because I beat him as often as we tie these days."

Ed snorted and looked away. "Sorry, sorry for the way we acted."

Gracia simply smiled. "You feel better now, right?"

Both boys reluctantly nodded. Then Al swept his brother up in a crushing hug. Gracia couldn't hear what they said, but they must have agreed on something because they separated with grins on their faces. Or, until Al said, "Well, I'm surprised you reached me across the table, you are after all, still _short_."

It was a magnificent explosion Gracia thought.

Ed yawned into his coffee mug and stared over the rim bleary eyed at his former commanding officer. "Why'd you spend the night anyways?"

"I didn't feel like walking home at that hour. I was tired after…" his voice dropped an octave and turned silky, "restraining you."

Mustang felt a smug satisfaction as an embarrassed blush crept up the young man's face. He watched as Ed sucked down the coffee as if it were going to save him from further embarrassment.

Al entered the kitchen rubbing his eyes sleepily and peered into the kitchen. "Food?"

Ed grumbled and shrugged. Al gave his brother a long suffering sigh before rummaging through the ice box. He pulled out eggs and got to work. He toasted several pieces of bread and placed it under his brother's face.

Yawning, Roy covered his mouth. He propped his elbow on the table and leaned his cheek into his hand.

It was a strangely domestic scene to watch as Ed perked up and nibbled on the toast and poked at the eggs. Al snorted and said, "They won't bite."

Ed promptly stabbed him with a fork. The stabbing war continued until Gracia walked into the kitchen and gave them _a look_. The brothers subsided, finished their breakfast and cleaned up in relative quiet.

Roy hummed around his third cup of coffee as he watched Edward stand and stretch. For a moment he was surprised. He'd forgotten how much Edward had grown up.

He rested his hand on Ed's shoulder for a moment, causing the younger man to jerk in surprise. Roy resisted grinning. "Why don't you come to the office with me? I know –" his voice became amused, "that my men would like to see you."

He watched as the young men lit up all over.

"I'm sure Breda will delight in filling you in on the recent shenanigans he and Havoc were up to last week."

Apparently Edward didn't need any more convincing as he nearly took the door off its hinges on his way out.

Shaking his head, Roy followed the impetuous young man out.


	4. Chapter 4

Breda was idly playing with a lighter when Roy and Ed walked into the office. Mustang gave him a disapproving frown but didn't say anything. Breda and Ed went through some male back-patting before sitting down to catch up.

"I heard that you got a promotion."

"I did. First Lieutenant now," he remarked proudly.

"Congratulations, same rank as Hawkeye, right?"

"Mhhm. She'll probably be promoted within the year – she's too good not to be."

Ed laughed, a full and rich sound. "Yes, I suppose she is. I heard Havoc was up and about – walking – and that I missed his visit to Risembool."

Breda nodded. "You did, but he moved back here, oh, a month ago I'd say. He set up a Havoc General Store here in Central. Not doing bad at all."

"That's good – I'll have to go visit with him sometime."

They fell quiet for a few minutes – a companionable quiet however.

Breda twisted in his chair and began to work on filing documents away.

Ed interrupted him a moment later. "Where are Fuery and Falman?"

"Falman's still on loan to the North for a bit and Fuery was contracted out to another office for a few weeks. Hawkeye is on _vacation._"

"_Vacation_?"

"Yeah, I know. It's all I can do to get the Chief to work. We're so behind on paperwork with just to two of us here."

"Can I help?"

Breda was rarely startled – especially if it concerned Edward Elric – but he was so surprised he nearly dropped the paperwork he had been transferring over to the file cabinets. The old Fullmetal would have dismissed paperwork as boring and unnecessary and left someone else to do it. Al had often times written Ed's report for him when the boy was too lazy to do it himself.

"If you don't mind. There's not much to sorting them. Hawkeye's got them all labeled, so just match the labels with the papers and you'll be fine."

For the better part of two hours they sorted paper into the different files until Fuery poked his head around the door.

"I heard you were here Ed! I stopped by to see if you two wanted to grab lunch in the mess."

"That'd be nice," Ed agreed. "What time?"

"Now?" Fuery asked hopefully. "I know my breaks earlier than yours Breda, but do you think that the Brigadier-General will let you go early?"

"I can only ask."

Breda ducked into the Brigadier-General's office and a few minutes later he returned with the man following him.

"I'll be joining you for lunch. All this paperwork is starting to give me a headache."

"But all you do is sign your name!" Ed protested.

"Do not look down upon signing your name! It must be _perfect –_" the men let Roy continue on his rant as they sauntered down to the mess. Ed sniffed the air.

"Smells like chicken of some sort."

And indeed it was. Chicken with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy. The men dug in with gusto. All of a sudden Breda sighed. "I miss having Hawkeye, Havoc and Falman here with us. It's almost as if we're missing part of our family."

Fuery looked up and nodded. "I know what you mean. It just feels empty sometimes. Not as many bets or wagers…"

Breda laughed. "Havoc was always the one to start them…yeah, it's much more lonely now. No offense, sir."

"None taken," Mustang responded with a nod. "I do agree however. Havoc always managed to make light of dire situations."

Ed chuckled. "I'm going to visit him after this I think." He made a face at Breda. "I don't know how much more I can take of all this paper filing. Sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about, Boss. The little help you gave…well…helped."

The meal finished, Fuery returned to the other office and Ed set off on his journey to Havoc's General Store.

He gave a friendly knock and called out a hello as he entered the store. He heard a muffled curse from the back and then, "Give me a minute! I'll be right out?" As Havoc exited the back office carrying a box he asked, "How can I help you?"

"Long time no see!"

Havoc peered around the box and yelped with delight when he saw Ed. "Boss! What'cha doing here?"

"I came for a visit to Central – I already stopped by the offices earlier today, and this was next stop on the list."

"I'm glad you stopped by. It's good to see you."

Havoc put down the heavy box and planted his hands on Ed's shoulders. "Let me get a look at you!"

"You're acting like an old man," Ed told him laughingly.

"You would too, especially with how long you've been gone. You're what…eighteen now? So it's been two years."

Havoc gave him a good look up and down, starting with his feet and working his way up. For a minute Edward felt uncomfortable under the scrutiny. It felt as if all his layers were being peeled back and leaving him vulnerable.

After a few more seconds Havoc stepped back and nodded. "We need to find you a girlfriend."

Ed's eyebrows dipped in confusion. "Girlfriend?"

Havoc nodded. "Something to keep you here in Central for a bit. Can't go having you disappear for two years again."

"Not even a woman can keep me chained!"

Havoc sighed and flopped into a chair and let his arm fall over his head – an attempt at a dramatic moment, "Then what shall keep you here, young warrior?"

Ed went along, "Only the greatest, most passionate love of a man shall keep me here!"

Havoc nearly tipped his chair getting up. "That was _the_ greatest line ever uttered by a man. How can you sound so serious?"

"…because it's true?"

Havoc paused. "T-t-true?"

Ed nodded serenely, "Very true. In actuality I came here to tell you of my undying love."

"You're in love with me?"

Ed sighed sadly, "You now know the truth. I have only one option left." With a deft movement he wrapped his hands around Havoc's neck stood up on his tiptoes brining his mouth level with Havoc's when the store door opened.

The trio froze in shock.

"I-it's not what it looks like Chief!"


	5. Chapter 5

Havoc gave Ed a little shove and Ed backed off. Mustang's face was impassive and Edward couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"I'm not sure that I want to know what's going on, but just appease a bit of my curiosity, _Jean_, when did you become interested in men? I thought you loved beautiful long-legged, busty women?"

"I do! They're divine, the most divine creatures this world has ever seen! I _like_ women!"

Ed felt Mustang's eyes turn to him, and he couldn't help the flush that spread over his cheeks. He turned away to face Havoc and commented to him. "Stop being so jittery Havoc, I wasn't actually going to kiss you, you know. I don't _like_ you like that."

Havoc slumped down into a chair looking utterly relieved. "But the first part? You weren't just acting that were you?"

"No," Ed knew he sounded wary, guarded and a bit tense – but it always got his back up when people phrased _the question_ like that.

The older blond haired man waved his hands, "I didn't mean it in a bad way boss. I was just surprised. I guess. Wasn't expecting the acting was partly in truth. How did you learn to do that?"

"Do what?" If Ed wasn't mistaken he heard a distinctive growl in the Brigadier-General's voice.

"Acting, Chief. The Boss is a great actor. We were playing characters from one of those old plays, well, edited at least, sort of, and I actually believed he was playing the part!"

"It's not hard to do, Havoc, especially when you have to hide who you truly are. Roaming around when you're the former Fullmetal Alchemist isn't as easy as it seems. Everyone wants a piece of me. They want to see me magically clap my hands together and create a miracle. I cannot do that anymore. It was easier to pretend I was someone else."

"I am sorry about that Boss. I heard that you couldn't do alchemy anymore."

"It's not terrible – I still have all the information of alchemy in my brain. It's sometimes hard to explain to other alchemists what I want them to do. It would be much better to be able to perform it, but I make do."

Havoc patted his breast pocket and took out a cigarette, lighting it. He shoved the lighter back into his pocket and dragged in a deep breath of the smoke. Mustang stood with his arms crossed watching his former subordinates with a placid face.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Ed asked the hovering man.

"I do actually, but I came to return this to you, you left it in the office." The man casually reached into his pocket and tossed the item across to Ed. "I thought you might want it back."

He nodded casually to Havoc – "Breda asked me to invite you to dinner at the Xingian restaurant later this week with the rest of the men. He was adamant about you coming. Said he had a great idea about something."

"Tell him to give me the date and time, and I'll be there."

The Brigadier-General eyed him warily. "You aren't…planning…anything are you? Nothing that'll make _me_ look bad at least are you?"

Ed left Havoc to fend for himself against Mustang's interrogation and headed for the Hughes' house. He let himself in with the key Gracia had lent him for the time he would be staying with them. When he entered the house Gracia looked up from the book she had been reading on the couch and smiled. "Did you enjoy your time at the office?"

Ed nodded, "Yes, I also stopped by to see Havoc. He seems fair and hearty."

"He comes to visit Elysia and I sometimes. He's a sweet man – he really does love children."

It was an odd, Ed thought, that Havoc would like kids. But when he and Al had been younger – just twelve and eleven respectively – Havoc _had_ always looked out for the two of them when he could.

At some point in the few years after that he learned that his commanding officer had been watching out for him – had Havoc helping too. He knew he should be appreciative of the fact that they cared enough to watch out for him but the independent streak he housed often got in the way. He wasn't weak – he could very well take care of himself.

Truthfully when he thought back on some of the missions he had gone on he realized that he _had_ had help. He didn't realize he'd had help at the time, but someone had always been there making sure that he and his brother returned safely from their trip.

"Gracia?" he asked as he looked up from his thoughts.

"Yes?"

"Do you happen to have any newspapers lying around I might look at?"

The woman frowned. "I might. I usually throw them away after reading them though. Is there anything in particular that you're looking for?"

"Actually, yes. I wanted to look at apartment listings."

"Apartment listings? What for? Are you thinking about moving back here, to Central?"

Ed hesitated. If he said yes and then didn't stay he'd hurt a lot of people. If he said no then why was he asking to see apartment listings?

He shuffled his feet. "I'm not sure – I just – I think that if I find the right place I'll probably stay. Being out in the city even for a brief while made me remember all the things that I missed about it; how much there is to do, to see, to eat." He grinned briefly. "There are probably plenty of job opportunities here for me to choose from. I feel aimless at times, I feel like I'm at a standstill going nowhere."

"That's understandable with how much you undertook for all those years. I'll see if I can find those listings for you. If you want to see one I'll come with you. You could always use a second opinion couldn't you? Also, will Al be living with you?"

"Thanks, Gracia, really. I think I'd probably prefer living alone, ah, without Al. He and Winry are together; they really like each other. So depending on that – Al will be with Winry now."

"I think it's wonderful that he's found someone to love and care for, don't you?"

"I do, and don't get me wrong, as much as I love Winry like a sister, I don't think she's right for Al."

Gracia laughed as she got up. "It's not an uncommon feeling. You helped raise him so you have a protective instinct. It's not a bad thing, but you do have to let him make his own mistakes."

Ed grumbled. "I just don't want to see him hurt."

"I'm sure that you've had your fair share of heartbreak, am I right Edward? Now Al's time has come. Some things people just have to learn for themselves."

Ed was left standing in the family room looking at the fireplace as Gracia went to look for the listings.

_My fair share of heartbreak, hm? I suppose that's true and isn't that why I came to Central? To look for something that could become meaningful? To find someone I can depend on? _

And for a moment an image of Roy Mustang flashed in his mind before he rubbed it away.


	6. Chapter 6

Ed leaned back on the pillows letting Roy kiss him slowly. He felt the man's hands slide beneath the shirt he was wearing and grip his hips, keeping him still. He opened his mouth to protest this development when his wrist got tangled in – the sheet?

Ed flew awake as he wrestled the sheets from around himself. When he'd disentangled himself he lay still, gulping in air. He could feel his cheeks burning with heat, heat that didn't seem to be dying away.

He looked over at Al lying in the bed across the room before ducking into the bathroom opposite of their room. There was a knock on the door and Al's voice floated through, "Brother? Are you close to finishing?"

"Yes – give me a second." Ed wiped the last traces of toothpaste from his mouth before straightening and exiting the bathroom. Al gave him a searching look before saying, "Good dream, Brother?" and slamming the door as Ed gave and indignant yelp.

He heard Al laughing from inside the bathroom as he turned away. Ed could feel the embarrassment coming back from earlier this morning as he sat down at the kitchen table with a coffee mug in hand. Elysia and Gracia were already in the kitchen enjoying their breakfast. Gracia stood for a moment and retrieved a stack of papers and set them down on the table next to him saying, "These are the listings for apartments in the area."

He smiled his thanks at Gracia and looked down at the first piece of paper.

A few hours later he had divided the stack of papers into "no, not interested" and "I need to look at these in person".

The first of the apartments he visited was a nice loft style. It was mostly one room with a connected kitchen and living area. There were a set of stairs up to a small second floor with a bedroom and a bathroom. Unfortunately it was above a busy bakery and the bakers who lived on the floor below were noisy – especially since they woke so early in the morning.

The second place he visited had a small kitchen area with a dining room attached. It also contained a living room with a build in fireplace. However in this apartment there were two bedrooms and a single bathroom. He supposed he could turn the other bedroom into his study. The only downside to this place was that it was in a rundown portion of the city.

The third apartment was small, so tiny in fact that a bed would have barely fit into it. Besides the bathroom it was all one room. Ed knew that he definitely didn't want to live in this one.

The fourth place he visited was actually a house that had been converted into apartments. The house was four stories high and four families could live in it. The developers had essentially cut the house down the middle. On each side the first and second floor belonged to one apartment and the third and fourth to another. The place that was open was on the third floor. The downstairs had a separate kitchen and living room with a fireplace. It even had a downstairs bathroom. The upstairs had two bedrooms, a study, and a bathroom. Attached to the bathroom was a large walk in closet. He quite liked the house – it had an elegant feel to it. Of all the places he'd seen today this one was his favorite. There was enough space that he could entertain guests easily, could let a guest spend the night, had a place to store all his work materials and a decent kitchen to cook in.

While it wasn't cheap it was still the best looking place by far. He thought that he couldn't have found a better place to live. He and Gracia returned to the bottom floor where the manager lived with her family. He knocked on the door and stood waiting on the doorstep for a few moments before the door opened and a little boy peeked his head around the corner. He closed the door and ran back into the house calling "Mama! Mama! We have guests!"

From the inside they could hear shuffling sounds and the gentle voice of a mother reprimanding her son for yelling in the house. "Please use your _inside voice_ Charlie – it's rude to yell." They heard the boy huff in irritation and repeat that "There were guests at the door."

When the door finally opened again a woman in her early thirties stood on the threshold looking a little exhausted. She gave them a small smile. "So, what did you think of the place?"

"I really like it," Ed told her. "It's spacious even if it is a bit too big for just one person inhabiting it."

The manager looked at him, "I'm sure you'll be expanding your family eventually. It's a great place for a new family."

Ed tried not to let his irritation show – why did everyone think he was ready to settle down anyways? – and nodded. "Perhaps. Although there does seem to be an issue with the water pressure…"

"Oh don't worry, don't worry, I'm getting that fixed this week!" the managed rushed to assure him.

Ed tapped his lip thoughtfully before turning to Gracia. "What do you think?"

"I think it's a nice place," Gracia told him. "But it's really up to you; whether you think you'll be comfortable living here or not."

Edward turned his stare towards the upper story again. The windows were really nice; they were big and let in quite a bit of light which was a plus in Edward's books.

The manager interrupted his thoughts. "I've got another interested party, so if you really want it I'd advise you to give me your answer as soon as possible. You were the first to show interest in it so of course you'll have the first decision but I still thought I might tell you that there were definitely other people interested in it too."

Ed cast one last look at Gracia an shrugged. "I'll take it then."

The manager smiled brightly. "Good! Let me get you the paperwork; also I'll need the first and last month's payments upfront."

She ushered them into the living room and towards a table set up in the corner. "Take a seat and I'll be back in a moment."

The woman returned with several pieces of paperwork in her hand and marked the lines that Ed needed to sign on.

When he handed the forms back the woman informed him that he could move in at the end of the week.

Finally, Ed thought, I've started my new life.


	7. Chapter 7

Al hummed to himself as he stirred the pot of stew that he was cooking. He brought the spoon up to his mouth and tasted it before reaching for the salt and sprinkling some more in. He could hear Winry on the phone in the other room talking with someone he supposed was from Rush Valley. He had gotten a call from her this morning – she had taken a surprise visit to see him in Central.

"Yes, I'll be there. I'm excited – I can't wait to see-!"

Al grinned to himself. Winry was always so excited over automail and it made him glad to see her so happy and passionate about something. He remembered a conversation they'd had not too long ago over lunch,

"_Hey Al?" _

"_Yes – do you need me to pass you something?" _

"_No – but, I was thinking, actually, I wanted your opinion on something." _

"_Oh? What is it?" _

"_I was thinking of going to study medicine like my parents. You know, just in case. Maybe one day?" _

_Al looked up. His brow furrowed and he replied, "What brought this on?"_

"_My parents helped a lot of people, and my automail does too. I just think I might enjoy going into medicine. With the automail of course." _

_Al's face cleared and he smiled. "I think it's a wonderful idea! Where would you like to go?" _

"_I was thinking somewhere in the South so that I'm still close to Rush Valley and the automail industry." _

Al shook his head slightly. Winry had though this all out very well, he thought to himself. Winry was often like his brother – she ran headlong into things without thinking about the consequences.

He heard the clack as she put down the phone and came into the kitchen. She leaned against his shoulder as he continued stirring the stew.

"They said you wouldn't be able to come with me."

Al looked down at the top of her head. "Come with you -?"

"To the university – they keep us in dorms, and it's complicated. Are you sure that this is okay with you?"

"You should always go after your dreams, Winry."

She patted his arm but stayed silent. "Thanks for your support. I don't know what I'd do without you –"

Al shook his head, "You're my best friend, you're important to me so of course I care about and support you!"

There were thumping footsteps and Elysia appeared in the doorway cheerfully dragging a box of markers.

"Will you color with me Winry?"

Winry sat on the floor with Elysia who was gleefully tugging marker after marker out of the box and scribbling all over a piece of paper.

Winry took her own piece and began to sketch a new design for an automail leg. Speaking of automail legs…

"Al, do you know if Ed needs a tune-up on his leg or is it still good?"

"Uhmmm…I'm not sure. But he'll be back in a little while with Gracia, you know?"

"Why are they apartment shopping anyways? Ed's not planning on permanently living here is he?"

Al turned the stove off and turned to face her. "Even if he is I'm not going to stop him. He seems quite happy at this moment. And it's been so long since I've seen him this invigorated over something!"

"I wasn't saying it was a bad thing!" she huffed. "I was just surprised is all!"

"Brother's happiness is important to me. He did so much for me when I was still in that suit of armor so I'll do whatever I can to make his life easier."

Winry narrowed her eyes. "Even if it meant going against something he believes in, or going against something he doesn't agree with?"

"Why are you asking these questions, Winry? Is there something you want to tell me?"

"No, I just have this feeling he doesn't like me with you."

"Of course he doesn't. It's his big brother instincts taking control. I think he'd stick me in a tower and never let anyone near if he could. He's just desperate to protect me. He's terrified of losing me – of losing anyone. You have to give him some leeway."

Winry folded her hands in her lap as Elysia scribbled on. "I do give him leeway. I still feel that…"

"We've all been best friends since childhood. You've got to stop panicking over the simplest things, I'm sure Ed means nothing by it. Say, let's ask him when he gets back. Then we'll have out answer once and for all and we won't have to touch this subject again, hmm?"

Winry knew that when Al put forth such a suggestion that he expected it to be followed. She _knew_ however Ed didn't like her no matter what Al said. Whether it had to do with her dating his treasured baby brother or not something had happened between them. And obviously Al wanted to patch it up.

Elysia picked up her picture and showed it to Winry. "Look! Look!" she chanted.

Winry looked at the picture and smiled. Here was a beautiful, innocent little girl who had gone through so much in her short lifetime but was made stronger by it. In her picture there were many people,

"That's Uncle Roy and Aunt Riza," (Winry wondered if the girl knew something they didn't.), "and those are Uncle Roy's friends. This is Mommy, and these two are Big Brother's Ed and Al, this is you and that's me." she stopped and looked a little sadly at the picture before pointing to the sky and a figure floating in it, "and this is Daddy. He watches over all of us."

Winry felt the tears prickling at her eyelids. She leaned down and hugged the young girl tightly. "Of course he is because he loves you so, so much."

"Can you pin it on the wall for me?"

Elysia pointed at a bulletin board in the room covered with her drawings.

As Winry pinned it she noted that Elysia had done her best to print the names next to each person.

Not too long after they heard the front door opening and Gracia and Ed's voices. They were back.


	8. Chapter 8

Gracia closed the door behind them and locked it with a decisive snick. Ed sniffed the air and grinned.

"Al made stew!" he exclaimed with delight and dashed into the kitchen.

"Brother," Al began, "before we eat Winry wants to ask you something."

Ed's brow furrowed. "I'll just call her then…"

"She's here. She came by train this morning."

Edward paused and cocked his head to the side. "Hrrm. Well I don't see why not."

Al pointed to the living room. "She's in there. Be nice."

"I'm always nice!" Ed growled.

Alphonse shook his head and sighed wearily.

Ed found Winry in the living room sitting next to Elysia who had moved on to putting a puzzle together.

"Al said you had something to ask me."

Winry looked up. "Is your leg okay? Do you need any adjustments done?"

"Nah. I think it's okay. You know I'd call if there was something wrong with it. I'm not that bad about it anymore."

Winry sighed. "I suppose that's true. You've been good about keeping it together this past year or so."

"I can't believe that's all you wanted to know! Couldn't you have called?"

The young woman's temper flared. "Do you have to be so rude? Why does it sound like you don't want me here?"

"When did I say that? When did I _ever_ say that?"

"Your attitude, Ed! 'couldn't you have called?' makes it sound like I shouldn't have come!"

"I didn't mean it like that! You should know that!"

"_I _should know that? How should I? As of late you've been acting like you hate me – you do hate me, don't you Ed? Don't try and deny it!"

"_Hate you_? Where the fucking hell did you get that from?"

"Attitude, Ed, attitude. I think you're mad that I'm taking your baby brother away from you!"

"I'm not _mad_, I just think that you're not right for him!"

"Not _right_, how the _hell_ am I not right for him? What did I do to deserve that label?"

"I just think that you two aren't compatible."

"Compatible? _Compatible? _That coming from someone who can barely form his own relationship. My god, how conceited are you?"

"Conceited? I don't even think you used that word right!"

"Who gives a fuck about words! You're mad that I chose Al and not you!"

"HAH. As if, maybe I did like you at one point but I grew out of that fairly quickly. You're paranoid, I'm sure Al told you that you were being paranoid!"

"He did _not!_"

"Liar! I bet he made you talk to me! Are you so afraid of yourself that you made yourself believe that you hate me?"

Winry glared. "I would _never!" _

"Besides your story keeps changing, first it's about Al then it's about me, make up your _mind!"_

"It's a combination of both!"

Ed didn't reply for a moment, then he nodded. "Okay. Maybe I've been rude, I'll admit, I wasn't wild about you dating Al. I'm still not. You're immensely insecure. But you also don't really _love_ my brother do you? You're clinging to him because you think it's what everybody wants you to do. Just because people say, 'oh, they'd be so good together' and 'you should marry him' doesn't mean you should. Start taking ahold of your own life. Al tells me you're going to medical school. Good for you. Maybe some time away from Al will make you see that you're just using him."

"I swear to god! I'm not using him!" Winry cried out. She was still furious, but Ed _had_ admitted he was partly at fault, but still!

"If you say so. _But_ if you _do_ hurt my brother you'll gain no sympathy from me."

Even though he'd said it in a quiet voice the malice was there. Winry knew that he was out to get her. She knew he was going to try and sabotage her relationship with Al, she _knew_.

His back was to her and for a moment she wished they were little kids again where their fights never lasted longer than a day, where innocence still reigned supreme.

She watched as his hand touched the drawing Elysia had done today. She could tell by his posture that he was hurting. He was probably remembering Hughes. Bringing up that subject always made his face twist in pain and caused him to clam up for hours. It made her think that despite all Ed's faults he was still human.

Winry stared at her hands in her lap. Now after all that yelling she did feel a little bit bad about her accusations. Not totally though, she knew they were founded in truth. And perhaps some of Ed's accusations had truth as well.

Elysia smiled brightly at her and she couldn't help but smile back.

"Why are you fighting with Big brother Ed?"

"Because we don't agree on something."

"But can't you agree to disagree? That's what Daddy always said."

"Elysia, sometimes that's just not possible. This is one of those times – especially when it means you could be hurting someone else very deeply."

The little girl pouted. "Can't you try though – please? I don't want you to fight!" and she started to cry. Gracia came into the room at a brisk walk and looked at her sobbing daughter.

Elysia turned to her mother and cried, "I don't want my big sister and big brothers to fight! They're family and family shouldn't fight!"

Gracia knelt by her daughter and brushed her fingers across Elysia's forehead. "Darling, sometimes grown-up things are complicated. Eventually things will get better, won't they Winry?"

Just as Al had threatened her earlier, Gracia's promise towards Elysia was as much a threat towards Winry – 'fix the problems that you caused'.

She could hear Ed and Al arguing quietly in the kitchen but knowing them she didn't have to worry. They could never stay mad at each other for very long. She let out a long sigh again and pushed herself to her feet to go join them for dinner.


	9. Chapter 9

Dinner was a quiet affair. Ed had made up with Al –stew mellowed everybody, but no one seemed to want to talk. What was normally a boisterous affair had become something tiresome, a dinner nobody wanted to be at. When the last fork was laid down the group thanked Al for dinner and set about doing dishes. Ed washed the dishes in the sink while Al dried them and Winry and Gracia put them away. Elysia watched them as she ate her bowl of ice cream.

She offered her spoon to her mother who smiled and tasted the ice cream. Gracia made a face and laughed, "I never really liked sweets, I enjoy baking them but eating them is a different story."

Ed was now munching on his own bowl and tilted his head surprised. "Really?"

"Really, Maes would always taste them for me. Or Roy."

Ed grinned. "Mustang has a sweet tooth?" he cackled and wiggled his eyebrows. "I think I now have blackmail."

Al shook his head. "You're so ridiculous sometimes Brother. Now, tell me, how did the apartment hunting go?"

Ed's face lit up. "I move into the place at the end of this week. Of course I'll need to have my stuff shipped from Risembool and we have to divide up whose books are whose…"

"There's no way I'm letting you make off with my books! You're a fiend when it comes to that!"

Ed laughed gaily and slurped the last of his ice creams before sticking the bowl in the sink and stretching. "I think I'm going to head to bed now. I'm exhausted."

Al hugged his brother tightly and Ed hesitated before putting his arms around Al. Ed heard Al whisper into his ear, "I'll talk to Winry, okay? Don't worry about her. I think she's just stressed about going to medical school."

Ed didn't respond but when he pulled away he said, "Thanks."

Lying in his bed that night he wondered what would happen between his brother, his best friend and himself.

He gazed out the window into the dark street and fell asleep dreaming about childhood.

"_Brother! Brother! Brother! Look what I found!" Al held up a container that held a…fish? _

"_Where'd you get that Al?" _

"_I caught him!" Al declared proudly. _

"_So?" Winry pouted, "I have Den, Den's cooler than a _fish_!" _

"_Hey Brother, d'you think Mom'll let us keep him?" _

_Ed knew he was thinking about the cat incident and he responded as such – "You still have to care for it so no. And besides it's a fish. Winry's right, fish are lame." _

_Al's eyes started tearing up. _

"_Jeeze Al, don't be such a baby!" Ed snapped. Before Ed or Winry could say anymore Al ran away carrying the jar under his arm. _

_When Ed returned later home that evening his mother didn't say anything to him. She didn't have to. Al's fish was in the jar sitting on a counter. _

_Trisha turned to her eldest son and asked, "Isn't our new pet pretty? Al what did you decide to call him?" _

_Al's face lit up. "His name is Sun. Because he's bright yellow and orange like the sun!" _

_Trisha smiled and pressed a kiss to her son's head. "That's a good name. Now both of you go wash up and let's have dinner." _

Ed sat up in bed staring out the still dark window. Thinking back he remembered they'd had the fish at most a month before it died. He remembered Al crying for hours and their mother saying that they could give Sun a proper burial. Their mother had dug a little hole in the ground and set up a stone with the word sun roughly carved into it. They put on their best clothes and stood around the grave as their mother said the last rites over the fish. Al had carefully laid Sun who was in a wooden box into the hole and poured a handful of dirt over it. He himself had just finished refilling the hole when Trisha had handed them each a lilac from her garden which they placed on the recently overturned soil.

He fell back asleep and didn't dream the rest of the night. Morning had come and gone by the time Ed got up the next day. He found that Gracia and Elysia were having some mother daughter time – playing dress-up he gathered – and Al and Winry had gone out on a date.

He knew that his brother was probably bribing Winry to lay off him some. He munched on the corner of a piece of toast with jelly that had been located at the back of the ice box. He had his coffee with sugar (no milk) in his other hand which was resting casually on the table. His hair was tied back in a lose ponytail however stands were already starting to come out from where he had run his hand through it. He washed the stickiness from the jelly off his hands and quickly redid his hair before knocking on the door to Gracia's room. The door opened and Gracia asked if he'd had any breakfast and was there anything he needed and when she was satisfied Ed was well fed she asked him what he needed. "I just wanted to let you know that I was going to go out for a jog in the park. I wanted to know if you and Elysia wanted to come along so she could play in the park while I run."

Gracia turned to her daughter. "Well, Elysia, what do you think of Ed's offer!"

Elysia happily confirmed that yes she really wanted to go to the park and play with Ed there. Gracia shooed her daughter off to get dressed and Ed himself moved back to his room with Al to finish dressing.

The run was invigorating, he thought. It helped release all the stress that had been building up over the past month or so. From his position on the outside of the park he could see everything going on.

"Elysia!" he called as he approached. "I have something for you. But you have to be quiet and look closely!"

Very, very carefully Ed opened his hands and a butterfly emerged. Elysia's breath caught as her eye's widened. The emerald green and blue butterfly fluttered in place for a moment before spiraling up towards the sky. Elysia clasped his hands and breathed, "Can you teach me?"

Edward smiled down at her. "Yes, just hold your hands just so…"


	10. Chapter 10

The end of the week had rapidly approached and Ed felt like he was nowhere near finished packing. He'd called Granny a few days ago and asked her to ship his stuff to his new address and she had complied on the condition that he'd come back and visit as often as he could. He and Al had spent the better part of yesterday arguing over what books were his and what were Al's. For some of them they played rock, paper, scissors and to Ed's disappointment he lost more often than not. Al claimed it was because he was predictable and that the only reason he was good at card games was because he cheated. This had ended in a tussle that had Al promptly declaring himself victor. Gracia had laughed herself silly and she'd had to retreat to her room to compose herself.

At last the evening before the move had come. Gracia had asked Ed what he wanted for dinner and his response was, "The quiche I had the first time we ate here and do you think you could bake an apple pie for dessert?"

The woman had touched Ed's shoulder and said, "Of course, I don't mind in the least. This is a big celebration for you! You're getting your own place and finally starting your own life."

The quiche had been beyond delicious and Gracia had even bought vanilla ice cream to go with the apple pie. Coffee and tea had been served on the side and overall, the dinner had been a spectacular affair.

Even Winry had been kind to him this night and for the moment it seemed a temporary truce had been erected. Winry and Gracia had retired to the living room to chat for a bit and Al was playing with Elysia when Ed decided to make some last rounds just to make sure that he hadn't forgotten anything.

It was when he dropped his pen behind the bed that he found a pair of pants he had worn – a week ago, more? – underneath the bed. Ed was turning them right side out when a piece of paper slipped from a pocket. He stared at the little folded piece of paper uncomprehendingly before realizing what it was. Mustang had tossed him this piece of paper claiming that he'd left it in the office.

Ed sincerely hoped it wasn't important because he'd completely forgotten about it until now. With deft motions he unfolded the piece of paper eagerly. On it was written

_14 Saint Street _

_FL 3-1418_

A street address…and a phone number? He wondered what it was to. Ed located the phone in the hallway and dialed the number.

He was shocked to the core when,

"Mustang."

"Mustang. Why. The. Hell. Did. You. Give. Me. Your. Phone. Number?" Ed asked through gritted teeth.

"Oh. It's you. What took you so long to call?"

Ed shuffled his feet and leaned back against the wall propping the phone between his shoulder and his ear as he flipped through a book. "I forgot you'd even handed me the piece of paper. I've been busy this week."

"Doing _what_ exactly?"

"Packing. I'm moving."

"You're…moving?"

"Yeah, to an apartment house here in Central."

"So you're staying?"

"Yep," Ed answered already becoming disinterested in the phone conversation. "Hey, so why did you give me your number?"

"I needed to talk to you about something. Are you available tomorrow afternoon?"

"Nope. Tomorrow's moving day."

He could almost _feel_ the older man frowning through the phone line. "Why don't I come by and help you move and we can talk then?"

Ed smiled smugly. "If you want. We start at nine am."

"I'll see you tomorrow morning then. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Ed could hear the distinctive click of the phone being put down. He slowly placed his back into the cradled and slumped back against the wall. What could the man want? Ed couldn't do alchemy anymore so it wasn't like he was any use to the military. He only hoped the man didn't ask him to do something ridiculous. And it'd be less like a request and more like an order anyways. The man was a control freak like that. Al found him still leaning against the wall on his way to bed. So, he took ahold of his brother's arm and led them to the room they shared. "Who were you talking to Brother?" Al asked around his toothbrush.

"Mustang, he's stopping by tomorrow. Says he has something to talk to me about."

"Really? How'd you get his number?"

"He gave it to me the other day and I forgot I had it. Found it hiding in a pair of pants beneath the bed."

He stopped for a moment and groaned. "I completely forgot! I dropped my good pen behind the bed! That's what I was originally trying to retrieve!"

Al laughed and knocked his brother on the head. "Well, go get it now before you forget again!"

Ed fished his pen out from beneath the bed and slid it into one of the bags that held some of his books and other writing materials. He padded around the room one more time before nodding contentedly. Everything was packed and ready to go for tomorrow. The rest of his boxes would be waiting for him at his new apartment when he arrived. He didn't have much here, a suitcase of clothes, two bags of books and some leftovers in the ice box so he didn't have to worry about cooking tomorrow night.

Al was sitting cross-legged on his bed writing in his journal. Ed snickered and called it a "diary" whenever he saw it. Ever since he had been in armor Al had kept track of foods and things he wanted to do when he was human again. Al hadn't stopped chronicling things he wanted to buy or saw that he thought were interesting, food he wanted to eat and things he wanted to do even when he became human again.

It was a secret between just the two of them. It was one thing no one would ever know about. For a moment Ed wished he wasn't moving – he and his brother had always been so close. But even he realized that it was time to let Al live his own life – even if that life included Winry – because they both had divergent paths.


	11. Chapter 11

Ed struggled with the dishes he was attempting to shove in the cabinet when another hand pushed them the final inch in.

Ed turned to look the man who had appeared behind him. "You're late," he told him.

Mustang's mouth curved into its familiar smirk. "Well," his voice trembled as if he were trying to hold back some unknown emotion, "I had some issues to work out on my end."

"Uh-huh. So what was it that you wanted to talk about anyways?"

"Political unrest."

"Mustang." Edward grunted as he lifted another box of something up onto the counter to unpack, "Can you really see me solving your diplomatic problems?"

"No, not really."

"So then, _why_," Edward slapped his hand on the counter and turned to the older man, "are you coming to me?"

"I don't need you for the political unrest issue – I need you for the issue connected with it."

"Aren't those usually political?"

"Generally. This one is and isn't. Hear me out."

Ed snorted but continued pulling things from the box.

"Youswell, you remember that right?"

"Of course I do. What's that got to do with anything?"

"You made that fake gold – "

Mustang nearly got whacked in the head when Ed's arms flailed, "You _knew_ about that?"

"I knew about everything you did. Now listen to me."

Ed settled down and Roy continued.

"The dirt you made into gold didn't stay as gold for very long. It's virtually impossible to make it stay as gold before it reverts, correct?"

"Right. There's no feasible way. Do you want me to make counterfeit gold or something?" he asked suspiciously.

"No," Roy laughed but then his face turned serious. "Someone claims that there is a giant city of gold beneath Amestris."

Ed chuckled good naturedly beneath his breath, "You've got me, Mustang. That was a good joke. I thought it was something important."

"It's true, Edward."

Ed stared at him. "Are you _kidding_ me? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I'm telling you now. The man who claimed this was taken into custody with a map on him. It's apparently old. I have it with me. I was hoping that you'd look at it."

Ed held out his hand and wriggled his fingers. "Why don't we go to your room where we won't be disturbed?"

Ed slunk into his room. It was quite bare at the moment – a full bed, a nightstand, an armoire, a large rug that took up most of the floor space in the room and a large sitting chair with a small table besides it.

Mustang laid the map out on the bed and Ed kneeled on the floor to study it.

"It's old – really old. Probably, hmm, from before Amestris was founded. Long before maybe." His fingers traced the key. "You can also see by this key the age. These symbols," he pointed to a select few, "aren't used any more. But they also aren't Amestrian. I guess you can say this _wasn't _Amestrian but a conglomeration of other places." Ed tapped his lip. "It's hard to explain this without it getting confusing. We know that there were people from all over, well some, that were picked to start this nation. One of these people must have brought it with him in the hopes of finding this city. What's weird is that, well, this still exists, that anyone could actually read it."

"Can you read it?" Mustang asked.

"Of course I can read it! I've studied this type of stuff for a long time now."

"What does it say?"

"_Over the Mountains__  
__Of the Moon,__  
__Down the Valley of the Shadow,__  
__Ride, boldly ride,"__  
__The shade replied-__  
__"If you seek for Eldorado!"_i

"It's like a treasure map to find the City of Gold – aptly named 'El Dorado' the Golden One."

"Is there anything else you can tell me?"

"Plenty; the handwriting is that of a man's – an old man's. You can tell because the writing is heavier and thicker than a woman's. As to the age it's a bit shaky, look here, see how the line wavers a fraction. The man was having trouble holding his hand steady."

Roy looked to where Ed pointed. "The map itself could be drawn by anybody, but I'd guess the same guy drew it. Why? Because how would a second person write those limericks without actually having seen what he's writing about? I'd figure the man was young when he drew the map. I also suppose he was dying so he wrote the stanza as to give clues to where to find the "treasure". He probably wanted someone to find his life's work." Ed concluded.

"Do you think it's real?"

Ed sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. "Maybe. It's possible something like that could exist but…" he trailed off. "It would be unlikely. Even if it did exist then, it's been hundreds of years since it was made. There is no guarantee that it still exists today."

"Should I fund an exploratory mission for this?"

Ed looked at Mustang for a moment and with a seriousness that he had seemed to develop only as of late replied, "No. It'd be chaos. No if you were to fund it you should only fund it if you yourself were planning to go on the mission."

"Could you do it?"

"Me? Oh, hell, that's what you wanted from the beginning wasn't it? Whatever _this_ turned out to be – you wanted me to play along with you."

"You know I'd only ask. Never order." Edward raised his eyes to Mustang's.

"I won't go. Not without someone else coming with me. I don't want Al coming either, so you'll have to find a qualified alchemist." He cleared his throat. "Because I can't do alchemy anymore I'm going to need somebody who can because I'm guessing that anything to do with this place is going to involve alchemy."

Roy rubbed a hand over his mouth thoughtfully. "I'd send Armstrong but I have a feeling that's not what you're looking for."

"Not exactly, no." Edward's mouth twitched and he sighed. "Maybe you should come with me considering you can do what I lost."

"Not a bad idea, a few days off work, and maybe a promotion if something is to be found…"

"Of course you're only thinking in terms of what it brings to _you_. I'm the one who decoded this whole –"

Ed squawked when Roy leaned over him. In an attempt to push the older man farther away from him Ed planted both his hands on the man's chest which somehow made Mustang raise his brows.

It soon turned into a scrabble of arms and legs as Ed tried to free himself from the embarrassment that was soon to come.

Instead of letting him go as Ed had predicted the man hung onto him and with little warning flipped him over his back.

Ed stared at the ceiling for a long moment wondering how he'd landed on his back. The man looked smugly down at him.

"Don't forget, you're not the only one who knows hand to hand combat." He then held out his hand and helped Edward up off the ground.

When Ed stood up it was as if the whole world had shifted beneath his feet. He'd said many times during the time he'd been in Central that his former commander and himself had been getting along much better since he'd exited the military. At this moment however he could tell more than ever that this man was not only an ally but also a friend. A friend he'd refused to see because he was so dang stubborn.

"Thanks, I'd like it if you'd come. It'd be a great help."

Ed blinked up at the man who was staring down at him and watched as not a smirk, but a genuine smile crossed Mustang's face.

"Of course, and you do know that if I end up with a promotion it'll be because of you."

Ed's mouth twitched. "Partly. The rest will be your work. I won't be of that much use."

"I highly doubt that."

From the outside there was a bang and, "Brother? Where'd you go?"

Ed glanced at Mustang once more and moved to open the door but before he could get there Al opened the door and peered around the frame.

He grinned when he saw his brother. "This place looks amazing! And you got a good deal!"

Ed smiled. "That I did."

"Hello, sir," Alphonse greeted the Brigadier-General.

"Alphonse, how are you?"

"I'm good. And yourself?"

"I'm well, thank you for asking."

Al gave him a smile and grabbed his brother's arm. "Let's continue putting stuff away!"

Ed could feel Mustang's eyes on the both of them as they worked. He did his best to ignore the scrutiny as he stashed some clothes in his room.

He turned his head to the side and let his bangs cover his face as he knelt at the drawers.

Ed bit his lip and turned to take the man to task for why he was staring so intently but when he turned around Mustang wasn't there.

He rose from his knees and headed back into the kitchen where he found his brother and former commander chatting over the counter island.

Alphonse lifted an eyebrow. "I thought you might have fallen into the drawer. I was about to come and rescue you."

"Brat," Edward muttered lovingly and ruffled his brother's hair.

A few hours later they had everything unpacked and in their respective rooms. Ed knew it'd take a few days to get everything settled so he wasn't in a rush to get anything done.

He ordered takeout and the three of them ate it in the quiet of the kitchen. When Ed finally put down his fork and declared himself full, Al collected the plates and placed them in the sink.

Roy was pulling on his overcoat to leave when Ed approached. "Call me when you're ready to leave, will you?"

"I know it'll be within two weeks. I just have some files that need to be straightened up. After that though I think we should solve this problem as soon as we can."

Ed made a face. "So soon? And just when I moved as well," he sighed. "I suppose I can live with it though."

A hand rested gently on his shoulder for a minute before it and its owner were gone through the door and into the night.

Ed closed his eyes and rested his forehead on the closed door. He breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth as he struggled to retain composure. His hands curled helplessly against the door and his legs trembled and gave out.

He couldn't let Al see him like this; he couldn't stand the thought of his baby brother seeing how weak one man made him.

Edward picked himself up off the floor and headed to the kitchen where his brother was putting away the leftovers.

"Don't worry about that, Al," and he tried to smile for his brother.

"But Brother!"

"I mean it Al, I can do it tomorrow. It's not a big deal."

Al sighed and relinquished the pot scrubber he'd just picked up.

"You can spend the night here in the guest bedroom if you'd like," Ed offered.

Al's face brightened up quickly and he grinned and gave his brother a hug before he took off for the other room.

Ed smiled slightly at his brother's energy. But back in his own room he suddenly felt lonliness and want coming over him again. Al had Winry, and what did he have? Only…only something that would never come to pass he thought.

Once undressed and in bed he lay staring at the wall in silence, unable to fall asleep.

He could feel himself choking on something – something he never thought he'd want. He pressed a hand to his chest and felt the beating of his heart.

_I don't understand, _his brain whispered and his heart whispered back, _you don't have to, just follow me._

i The poem is Edgar Allen Poe's, "Eldorado".


	12. Chapter 12

"Kicking the train seat is not going to get us there any faster," Mustang commented to the young man who seemed hell bent on putting a hole through the opposing seat. Mustang watched the young man carefully. Edward didn't seem distressed or sulky – which he was impressed with – but if it wasn't that, what was it?

Roy studied the young man carefully, looking for signs of whatever was bugging the younger man. The only thing he could see that was amiss was the flush of red in Ed's cheeks.

Was…was Ed _blushing? _It boggled the mind to think about the fact that Ed might have any sort of attraction to anybody.

Roy promptly stopped thinking about that thought and shut his brain off until they arrived at the transfer station. At the transfer station they were to get a sleeper train – a train where they could sleep the night away in a somewhat decent way.

He watched as Ed stretched out all the kinks he had obtained on the train. Roy watched as Edward sauntered up to him. "When does the next train leave?"

Roy pulled his watch from his pocket and glanced at it. "Twenty-two minutes," he replied.

Ed grunted and took off down the platform towards the station building.

Roy clasped his hands behind his back in a typical military posture and waited for Edward to return. To him it felt strange to be out of his military uniform, it was as if it had become a part of him over all these years.

Fifteen minutes later when Ed came trotting back they only had seven minutes to get to the right tracks. Ed was breathless with laughter when they were finally ensconced in their little compartment. "Oh hell," he laughed, "it feels so good to have done that again. Ahh, just like old times."

Roy thought it was remarkable that the young man was grinning so wildly his face could have cracked. He could feel Ed's youthful enthusiasm contaminating him.

"It's getting late, I think I'll turn in now."

"Mmm," Ed agreed. "Good point, we need to be rested for the next few days."

Mustang reached up to the top of the wall and drew down one twin bed then moved down the fall a few feet and drew down a second one. "There we go, all made up and everything. Bedtime it is."

Ed felt his hand brush the floor as he woke from a deep sleep. He blinked a few times fuzzily before lifting his head and looking towards, well, towards where Mustang had been when they'd both nodded off.

Sighing he sat up and scrubbed sleep out of his eyes and dressed before heading to the breakfast car.

In the breakfast car he located his former commanding officer who was reading that day's newspaper and sipping a coffee.

"'Morning." Ed muttered as he sat down at the table with a plate of eggs, toast and crunchy bacon.

"Good morning," the newspaper rustled as Roy set it down and turned his attention to Edward.

"How are you?"

"'m good. You?"

"I slept fine, thanks for asking."

Ed gave him a mysterious little smile but said nothing more and chomped down on his food with eagerness.

As he ate he could feel Mustang's intense stare and it was making him flush with heat. He only hoped that the man hadn't been noticing his reactions to his presence although he didn't hold out much hope, the man was entirely too observant at times even if he pretended not to be.

Later as Ed idly stared out the window his mind began to wander.

_The train swayed as it moved around a curve and Ed felt his body jerk and yelped as he righted himself in the seat. Once resettled himself he glanced towards the suit of armor who was shaking._

"_Shut up," he muttered at the suit in embarrassment and kicked the leg with irritation. _

_Al's eyes seemed to gleam more than usual as he leaned forward into his brother's personal space and with a small amount of sweet vindication he whispered, "Something on your mind? Or maybe, _someone_?" _

_Ed knew Al was looking for an incriminating reaction but he refused to give any. He couldn't let his little brother upset him – or tease him – he was the big brother! That job was reserved for him! _

_Al leaned back and shook his head regretfully. "I hoped that something would take your mind off this journey; you could use some relaxation." _

"_How is thinking about someone the least bit relaxing?" _

_Al tilted his armored head and stared at his brother as much as he could without a facial expression. _

"_Have you never –"_

"_Never what?" _

"_Felt your heart beat fast? Or your breath come short?" _

"_Of course I have!"_

"_So you've liked someone?" _

"_What does liking someone have to do with anything? I always feel like that when I'm fighting." There was a moment's pause before he continued, "Although sometimes that happens when I go to see Mustang. But that's always because I'm irritated with him."_

_Al made a snorting sound of laughter but before he could stop it he was full out laughing. _

_Ed glared. "What's so funny?" _

"_Oh, Brother! You'll see soon enough!" _

_And with that Al left the conversation alone never to really bring it up again. _

Ed wondered what Al had meant by 'You'll see soon enough'. He never really had understood what his younger brother had meant in the long run until a few weeks ago.

The feeling of his face blushing, the heavy beat of his heart, the little gasps of air necessary to keep even breathing because it felt like he'd just been punched – was this the feeling Al had had when he saw Winry?

If it was the same, if it was the very same what did that mean for him? Al had said it meant – it meant. Ed felt his breath stop for a second.

_Oh no_.

I'm.

I'm in. In _love_ with _him_?

_Oh hell. _


	13. Chapter 13

When they arrived at the hotel Ed did his best to look inconspicuous. He knew he was well known in all sorts of areas so he needed to keep a low profile to work in quiet. Mustang was at the desk requesting separate but adjoining rooms because according to him, "It's best that way. We have our own workspace but if we need to go about in the middle of the night we can do so in secrecy. Rather, it'll be easier to communicate in secret that way."

What would they be going into each other's rooms in the middle of the night for anyways? Edward suspected the man was trying to rile him up. Well, he wasn't going to let it get to him! He'd behave and the man would never know – Ed blanked out the rest of that thought and slunk up behind the man to listen to the end of the conversation.

"-we're not sure how long we'll be staying."

The male – _thank god – _desk attendant nodded and picked up two keys from a little box behind the counter labeled three twenty. He handed the keys over unceremoniously and smiled congenially at the two of them and nodded to the left. "The stairs are over there. If you need anything you can call down to the front desk and we'll do our best to help you. Over on the right there is our dining hall and breakfast bar. Breakfast is free, but you have to pay for dinner."

"Thank you. I think we'll be fine from here on out."

Roy led the way up the stairs and into the hallway where they turned to the right and meandered two doors down to their rooms. Ed plucked his keys from the man's hand and dangled them in the air. "I suppose one of the two of these is for the door between us?"

"Yes. The smaller key is for the door between us. The larger key is for the outer door."

"I could've figured that out," Ed muttered but swung the keys in his hand. "I'll see later then?"

"Later? Where are you going?"

"I'm going to go take a shower and nap for a bit. Trains make me tired."

Mustang nodded sharply. "Fine. I'll come wake you up in an hour and half or so."

Ed's eyes narrowed. "Don't you dare! You're not giving me orders!"

"It wasn't that I was trying to give you orders it was more like that it'll be five o'clock and getting close to dinner…unless you're not inclined to eat tonight?"

Ed huffed, rolled his eyes and sighed. "I suppose you can come get me."

Ed waved and ducked into his room and flopped face first on the bed where he lay for a few minutes.

He roused himself enough to get into the shower and scrub off all the train dust and dirt. The soap dripped off his body and pooled on the shower floor where it clogged the drain.

As he stepped out of the shower his foot slipped on the wet tile and he swore as he reached out to grab something for balance. What he grabbed however was the towel rack but because the towel rack was weak it broke away from the wall and Edward landed on the floor amongst a tangle of towels.

The knock on the door was hesitant as if the person on the other side was afraid of disturbing a hibernating bear or a wolf with rabies. Edward pondered that last fact for a moment, could wolves get rabies, he knew dogs could –

"Edward are you all right?"

"'m fine. Just slid on the wet tile."

"Are you sure? That was quite a loud crash."

"Ahh…the towel rack kind of got in the way."

" '_Got in the way'_?"

"Uhm. Yeah."

"Please tell me the bathroom is still in one piece."

Edward took a quick inventory of the bathroom, ripped shower curtain, shattered side of the sink (from where the metal towel rack hit it), gaping hole in the wall…

"It's still in one piece."

He heard disbelieving silence from the other side of the door and amended his statement.

"Mostly."

"Mostly as in we're going to be paying quite a few damage fines or…?"

"As in with a bit of alchemy it'll be all fixed up."

"I'm coming in." And without warning the door clicked open – _Ed knew he'd locked it, the bastard had used alchemy on it! – _and Edward scrabbled to knot a towel around his hips.

Edward didn't know whether to be peeved or not because Roy had hardly looked at him. He was half naked and Roy had instead been glancing around the bathroom assessing the damage done.

Ed coughed to draw attention to himself. "Can you get out now? I'm kinda naked."

It seemed the word "naked" perked Roy up because he turned to face Edward for the first time since entering the bathroom.

"So you are," he commented and didn't seem embarrassed in the least by the fact that he was standing in the same room as a naked man. In fact, if anything, the man seemed to be –

"You bastard! Stop staring at me!"

Roy laughed. "What have you got to be embarrassed about?"

Ed flushed to the roots of his hair and glared.

Ed backed up as Roy stepped into his personal space. Roy's grin was bordering on demonic Ed thought wildly as he looked for a way out.

Roy took another step closer.

Ed's hands scrabbled for something to hold onto as Roy moved again.

When Roy kissed him, Ed gave up. He knew when a battle was lost and between Roy's _tongue _and his own body Ed knew that there was no hope for himself.

One of Roy's hands slid down to cup his chin and tilt his head, the other encircled his body and pulled him closer. Ed raised his hands and tangled them in the man's hair and urged Roy on.

Ed saw the older man glance down at him and Ed had enough wits to mutter, "Fine. 'm fine," before thoughts began to disappear.


	14. Chapter 14

Roy was still kissing him and Ed couldn't think of anything but the man against him, around him. He didn't want to let go even as the older man's hands moved across his fire awakening his senses and devouring him. He cracked his eyes a bit to see Roy watching him. This time a blush didn't slam into his cheeks as he had expected it to. Instead he felt delight at the fact that it was _Roy_ and Roy was _interested _in _him_. Possibilities he'd never even thought of opened up for him. He licked his lips and could taste the older man on them.

The stepped back from each other and Roy closed his hand around Edward's and pulled him from the bathroom rather gently. Ed watched as their fingers weaved themselves together creating an intricate knot that Ed actually kinda liked. He squeezed and was immensely pleased when Roy squeezed back in turn.

Dear readers: due to 's rules I am not allowed to post NC-17 things upon this website. To view this chapter in its entirety please visit my livejournal at: meredavey . livejournal .com

Thank you!


	15. Chapter 15

The morning dawned bright and early, and as Roy woke he found himself looking down at the young man who was sharing his bed. He gently pushed the hair that was falling over Ed's face back and stroked the young man's cheek gently.

Ed stirred and Roy watched as his eyelashes fluttered and his breath stirred the still air. He watched as that feline body stretched and as that keen mind began to take inventory of everything that was going on.

That same mind was now in an obvious state of crusty-sleepyness which didn't seem to be wearing off. A slim hand raised to his eyes rubbed some sleep away as those dark lashes lifted to reveal then slivers of gold beneath the lids.

"Good morning," Roy rumbled as he reached out with his hand to touch Ed's cheek again. Ed caught the hand and murmured,

"Morning," back very sleepily.

Roy smiled as he continued to rub the sleep out of his eyes. "What time is it?" he asked.

The older man glanced over at the clock on the stand. "Just past eight is all," he told Ed.

Ed frowned and burrowed back under the covers. "I can sleep for a little longer then," he told the older man. "I have no need to get up so early."

Roy laughed, a deep belly laugh as Ed disappeared beneath the covers of the bed.

He couldn't help but follow Ed beneath the covers where upon he grasped the young man firmly.

He heard Ed gasp in surprise, and then surrender. He gave a low growl before twisting in Roy's arms and kissing him.

"Bastard," he whispered before their words were devoured by the heat and fire.

An hour later they both lay sated in the bed, listening to the bird's chirping outside the window.

"I guess the first thing we have to do is find out where exactly this thing is located. We don't want to start randomly digging just anywhere. The less evidence we leave behind the better off we'll be."

"I'm inclined to agree with that. I say we spend the day surveying the land and discussing local history. Maybe we'll get lucky and find a clue amongst these people."

"They seem the type to keep their secrets well hidden," Ed said a bit dryly, "I know the type after all."

Roy smiled. "Did you keep secrets from outsiders in Risembool?"

Ed grinned back. "Sometimes. Sometimes we just pretended we kept secrets because we liked having that mysterious aura about us."

Roy tugged on a strand of Ed's hair. "What does mystery do?"

"It gives the town a certain atmosphere, makes tourists stay longer, sometimes guests get curious and want to know the folklore. Some of it we make up." He grinned even wider. "It was the job of us kids – not really, we did it for fun – to scare the visiting kids and sometimes adults. It was fun, it was good times." Ed sighed as he looked out the window, "Now that I think about it, I've seen so much more horror in my life, that those stories I heard and used to tell aren't very scary anymore." His eyes seemed to become sad. "Sometimes I miss that simple life. There's nothing more I'd like to do than to go back to that life at times, go back before this huge mess started." He turned to Mustang. "But then I wouldn't have met you. I like to think it was a worth while trade – equivalent exchange – except in this case I got the better part of the deal.

Roy smiled. "I'm glad you seem to think so. I feel like I've gotten a good deal myself."

Ed knew that Roy had an easy charm that worked well in the cities but not as well in the country-side and he decided to bring the topic up. "I think, when we talk to the locals, I should do the talking. I can act like a right country bumpkin given the chance and I think they'll be more likely to open up to that than anything else. I'll seem less like a stranger and more like a visiting friend."

"Did you employ this strategy often when you travelled?" Roy asked a tad curious.

"Sometimes. Like I said sometimes locals like to play jokes, other times they're very suspicious of people. It's best not to upset them."

Roy blinked at him. He wasn't surprised he'd learned a while ago that Ed didn't just employ brute force, he used his brain and his wits just as much. Even as Ed enjoyed a good fight now and again, he didn't like getting dragged through mud or over rocks either.

Ed shifted in the bed and stretched his arms over his head. His body felt lethargic, lethargic but relaxed. He smiled at Roy and leaned over, kissing him. Roy's hands cupped his cheeks and Ed's hands itched to explore the older man's body. He licked his lips as he pulled back from the kiss. "I suggest we get out of bed before we miss breakfast completely."

Roy's eyes seemed to twinkle as he slid out of bed. "I'll take the shower first. It might be dangerous if we both get in at the same time."

Ed laughed. "I would think so. That would make anybody nervous."

"Nervous?" Roy tried to sound offended.

"Nervous," Ed repeated with delight. "It's like you're stalking your prey!"

Roy furrowed his brow and tried to pretend to be mad but Ed sitting there on the bed, tangled in the sheets was just too much. He shook his head and closed the door to the bathroom.

"Remember to lock it!" Ed called out with amusement.

Roy did not dignify that with a response as he climbed into the shower. Fifteen minutes later he emerged squeaky clean and smelling of soap and shampoo. Ed pulled his towels off the rack as he entered the bathroom to get his own shower.

He showered as quickly as he could, attempting to get all the stickiness from sweat and…other stuff off of his body.

He too emerged from the shower not long after. He found Roy dressed and waiting for him to go to breakfast. Ten minutes later they were heading downstairs.


	16. Chapter 16

Breakfast was a quiet affair, and when they headed out of the inn no one took notice. Once out in the open Ed turned in several circles before shading his eyes and looking up at the sun. "I say that we go explore first and then talk to the locals."

"It's your call, Ed." Roy told him.

Ed cast a glance back at the man. He was standing in strict military posture, hands clasped behind his back. His eyes though were taking in their surroundings completely. He was analyzing everything that he saw and then some.

Carefully he too turned in a circle eyeballing all the major pieces of landscape. "Do you think that those mountains over there are the ones referenced in that poem?"

"Could be, it's hard to tell though. It seems we have to follow the trail when the moon is out at its fullest."

Roy looked back to the inn before shrugging his broad shoulders and striding to stand next to Ed. "Let's get this surveying done so we're back in plenty of time for moonrise."

Ed rolled his eyes but marched forward with the sketchbook and the pencil. At certain distances he stopped and drew the surroundings as accurately as possible before they moved on. He noted pitfalls and traps, he noted where the ground rose, where there was water and where the old trails lay.

He carefully sidled around a rather large boulder and nearly lost his footing when the land came to an abrupt end. He swallowed and called back to the older man, "Hey, Mustang! Don't come in any farther. This dead ends into a cliff." Ed carefully knelt and peered over the edge. "Although I think I found the valley that poem mentioned." He drew back again, resettled himself and then peered over the edge again. "Yep, this definitely is spooky."

"Be careful not to –"

Roy hadn't even finished his sentence when there was a yelp and a, "oh, fuck. Shit. Uh, Mustang?"

"Edward?" Mustang called back as he advanced into the small thicket of bushes that covered the edge of the cliff.

"Stop there! Or you might fall in as well!"

Mustang stopped quickly and looked down. Edward was lying on a low shelf wall that looked as if it didn't have that much support.

"Are you okay?" Mustang asked as he leaned down.

Edward shifted and grimaced as sharp rocks dug into his palms and skin. "I think so," he replied and twisted a bit before letting out a small hiss. "I might have a few bruises and cuts. Nothings broken as far as I can tell. I'll simply be sore. I landed a bit hard on this rock."

He planted his hands firmly on the shelf and rose up to his knees. He eyed the rock to decide the best way to activate –. His brain stopped. He didn't have alchemy. He couldn't use it anymore. He cleared his throat and was grateful he hadn't clapped his hands and looked like a fool in front of Mustang. "Do you think you can create some stairs up for me?"

He more heard than saw Mustang back off a few feet. He then heard the sharp clap and the tang of alchemy as it fizzed its way down the rock wall changing the shape of the rock shelf.

"Thanks," he said as he climbed up and lay panting for a few minutes on the firm ground. He could feel the older man's eyes on him and he took one more deep breath before looking up. "I'm fine, so don't look so worried. A fall like that won't kill me."

Mustang didn't say anything, but simply offered his hand and pulled him up off the ground.

"Why don't you brush yourself off and make yourself presentable and then we'll go talk to the locals?"

Ed licked his lips and began to brush himself down all the while saying, "We still have more terrain left to cover…"

"Yes, but you just saw how dangerous that was! I don't think we should take any more risks until we learn a bit more about this landscape. You get my drift?"

Ed nodded a bit reluctantly.

"Come on," Roy told him gently, "We'll get back out here soon enough. But it's not worth the risk. We did a decent job of mapping the landscape ourselves. The locals can fill in the rest for us."

He pulled Edward's hand into his and squeezed. Ed looked at their interlocked hands and gave a gentle squeeze back.

He yawned after a moment. "That's fine I suppose. We've been out here all morning and most of the afternoon anyways. I could do with some lunch and a nap."

"Are those the only two things that you ever think of, Ed?"

Edward grinned up at him as he swung their interlocked hands.

"Nope," he popped the 'p' in the word and laughed. "There's one more thing I think about." He paused. "Well two, but they're kinda interconnected." He grinned a bit wider. "I think that maybe we should eat and then perhaps, mmm….take a nap together?"

There was no mistaking Ed's point and Roy did his best not to pick up his pace or reveal the emotions that had flashed through him all too briefly.

But it seemed as if Ed had read him very well because Ed was looking up at him with that look he always got when something was going his way. Before they reached the town border Roy twirled them around so that he could hold Ed close inside his arms. "Edward," he murmured softly. "We will have to have a talk about this soon…but, no, don't give me that look, we just need to discuss how we want to tell-or-not-tell people back in Central."

Ed cocked his head. "I'm not so worried as to distract you now," Roy continued, "But we should decide what we want to do in the future."

Ed watched him a bit warily. "I'm hungry. We can discuss this over lunch, right?"

Roy sighed, "Over lunch then."


	17. Chapter 17

Ed tromped slowly through the town. Roy had diverted to the general store to get…something. Ed hadn't quite been listening to what he'd said – he'd been more concerned with the fact that Roy had wanted to "talk".

"Talk" usually meant something bad, and although Roy claimed it _didn't_ in this case, it was hard for Ed to believe that. He tried to swallow back the fear, but it kept rising up inside of him, desiring to eat him whole.

He kicked up some of the dust on the street as he meandered down the road to the inn where he and Roy had taken up residence.

The man was once again at the front desk and he gave Ed a smile. "Do you need any help?" he asked.

"Err, just wondering what's being served for lunch today."

"A whole bunch of things are being served…from savory to sweet…have your pick."

Ed had a very bad feeling about this guy so he opted to stand as far away as he could without looking rude.

"But, do you have a menu?"

The man smiled. "I can just tell you the menu, why don't we go up to your room and we can talk about it there-"

Ed's eyes narrowed. He breathed in through his nose. "No; I'd rather eat in the dining hall," Ed managed to keep his voice civil.

The man seemed to pout, "But it's nice and quiet up in your room – unlike the noisy dining hall with all the irritating patrons!"

"I highly doubt you're supposed to be calling patrons 'irritating'," Ed mumbled under his breath. He sighed again. "If you wouldn't mind just handing me a menu, I do have things to do today…"

"You can multitask," the front desk receptionist told him softly. "I'm sure you're very good a multi-tasking."

Ed could feel his fists clenching in and out, and he could feel his heart pounding and uncertain – _thu-thump, thu-thu-thump, thump, thu-thump. _He stared at the receptionist. Yes, he _was_ good looking. Handsome in a normal sort of way; not eye-catching but not horrible looking either. Ed shuffled his feet and did a mental calculation.

He'd slept with Roy last night – and this morning – and he felt…how did he feel? At first, alive and burning…filled with an unimaginable sweetness. Filled with, hope. Trust.

He'd thought he was in love with the man. But…was it love or lust?

And Roy, Roy was never one to stick with a single person. Yes, the sex had brought them closer than they had been. It would not however, be the end all be all. They would still be able to function even if they weren't having sex.

Sex! Sex seemed to be such a crude word for what they had done, and it wasn't like they were _in love_, right? So…what was it?

He shook his head sharply to dislodge this disconcerting thoughts, and turned back to the receptionist.

He bit his lower lip and a moment later the receptionist was up in his personal space. Ed took a few steps back in an attempt to ward off the –still – unwanted attentions of the male receptionist. Those few steps had him accidentally bumping into the person standing a bit behind him.

She gave a little yelp of surprise and turned to face him, hands on her hips. She was a pretty woman, handsome. She had a round face and her cheeks were currently flushed red with anger, her brow was high and her hair was a luxurious brown that curled and spilled in lengths down her back despite being held back in a ponytail. Her outfit, casual, yet formal at the same time, seemed to suit her and give her a look of elegance most women desired to achieve.

She pursed her lips and Ed was aware of her looking him up and down.

"Sorry – sorry!" Ed apologized as quickly as he could, for once not wanting to make a scene.

She pursed her lips and glanced at the male receptionist. She wiggled her fingers at him. "Back to your desk James. Stop bothering the young man, he was not interested in you in the least."

The woman smiled and patted her pockets for a moment before withdrawing a card. "I'm Abigail…Stevenson. I own this inn. And who might you be?" Abigail held out a thin hand to Edward.

Ed hesitantly took it in his as he responded. "Edward. Pleased to meet you." She gave him a firm handshake before retracting her hand and handing him the card she'd pulled from her pocket.

"I'm sorry you had to bear witness to some of James's…quirks. He doesn't mean any harm, but sometimes he does get carried away. Next time feel free to slap him," she raised her voice at the last time and from the desk he could hear an irritated huff. Ed found that he actually genuinely liked this woman.

"How long have you owned this inn?"

"Ohh…" she murmured as she thought, "my parents owned it before me, but we never came out here to see it, my uncle ran it for the most part. But how long have I personally run it?" she mumbled for a moment and ticked some things off on her fingers. "About twelve years," she finally decided, "give or take."

"Why so curious?"

"I'd doing research on local legends," Ed shrugged. "Nothing to it but my own curiosity."

She laughed a deep laugh and smiled at him again flashing white teeth. "Well, I'm going to get changed, so how about I join you for lunch in twenty minutes? It'll be on the house." The skin around her eyes crinkled as she smiled. "And then I'll tell you all the stories I've heard about these parts."

Ed bobbed his head in excitement as the woman turned and left. Ed went back to his room quickly: rearranging his hair into a more presentable state and brushing dirt off the exposed skin.

Once he thought he was presentable he went back downstairs to find Abigail waiting for him at the doors.

The maitre'd escorted them to a table by the windows and handed them menus. Abigail didn't look at hers, but Ed glanced quickly across his - lots of food. Lots and lots of food and his stomach groaned in hunger.

A waiter moved quickly to their table and they ordered just as Ed caught sight of Mustang entering the dining area.

He waved him over and the man approached with a quick step.

"I thought you were going to wait for me."

"I got hungry, and Abigail here offered to tell me some of the legends."

Roy turned to the woman smiling, "Pleased to –" but his voice dropped off and his eyes widened in something like shock.

Abigail's chair scraped the floor as she stood up. _"You_," she hissed.

"A-Abigail?" Mustang's voice stammered a bit in uncertainty.

"You two know each other?" Ed queried.

Abigail's lips tightened as she stared at Roy. "I'm his, what am I _Roy_? We were engaged…but we aren't married so, what, _are we_?"

Roy looked horrified as his gaze dropped down to Edward's who was staring between them with unmitigated horror. "Engaged?" he squeaked out.


	18. Chapter 18

"Engaged?" Ed squeaked out. Engaged? _Mustang_ had been _engaged_?

Abigail's eyes flicked over to him briefly before they returned to Mustang.

But Mustang looked like he was having trouble believing what he was hearing. Ed could see him swallow stiffly before speaking. "Abigail. I didn't mean for us to run into each other like this."

"Of course you didn't, but it's happened, so we probably need to discuss what is going to happen from here."

Ed looked at Roy slightly sullenly, "I guess _we're_ not having _our_ talk now then?"

Roy looked down at him, "I thought you didn't want to have it?"

Ed tried not to sulk, because at eighteen, you're not supposed to sulk. Man up, he thought.

"Discussion?" Abigail asked, interrupting his thoughts.

Ed felt himself get a bit queasy. How exactly did you tell someone that you were sleeping with their former…fiancé who also happened to be a man?

Roy seemed to know though. "How about we have lunch, discuss what you and Edward came to discuss, then we retire to my suite and _we all_ talk."

It didn't to be phrased so much as a question, but more of an order.

Abigail narrowed her eyes, "There you go! Giving orders already!"

Edward _really_ liked her now.

Abigail sat down again with a little humph, before turning her attention to Edward.

"Now, what do you want to know exactly?"

"Anything related to legends here, there are some stories I'm doing research on."

Abigail tapped her chin for a few moments as she pondered all the stories she'd heard.

"Well…I suppose there's one about a monster that live underground."

Ed cocked his head to the side even though Mustang was hissing near his ear, "Nothing to do with the problem at hand!"

"What is that one about?"

Abigail licked her lips before beginning, "It is said that a long, long time ago there was a man. He was made of gold and silver, and he acted as if he were a God. As God he decided to create a creature. It was human except for its eyes: they were inhuman. But apparently he tired of the creature and left it to die in the sun. However, the creature managed to burrow itself into the ground. There it languished for an untold sort of time. It promised not to attack the village that sat upon these sands as long as it was fed human children. But after a time it became more demanding, it wanted those human children who could do alchemy. The villagers were horrified and they began to refuse it. The creature grew furious and slaughtered half the town. Some say he did it out of envy, but after that slaughter he is said to have left and never been seen again." Abigail finished the brief story just as the food arrived. "There's more to it than that, but I figured if you wanted the story you could just go to the library and find it somewhere. Was that the type of story you were looking for?"

"Yes and no. Have you ever heard of anything else beneath the ground here?"

Abigail bit off a piece of steak and wiped her mouth before talking. "Not to my knowledge. Well, only an ancient folktale." She smiled. "It's rather lovely, but sad at the same time. And I highly doubt any of it is true, so I wasn't going to mention it."

"Why not tell it anyways? We have some time."

Abigail took several more bites of her food before responding with a slight sigh, "I'm not positive on all the details because I haven't heard it all that often, but here it is." She cleared her throat and began, "In a time before time really began there was a man, a man of great power. He desired to build the most beautiful city for his beloved, his intended. And so he called forth the greatest builders there were. He told them 'Build me a great city – a city greater than any other that has ever been or ever will be built'. And so, it was started. The architects and engineers argued often and horribly. The beloved girl, the Princess, was not to marry the powerful man until the city was finished. Not only that, she had to approve the city.

So, two years passed and the city was completed. The city was made out of a substance of stone, a pure white stone. The Princess hated it. She thought it stark and dull. 'I don't like it!' she complained and refused to move into the city. In embarrassment the powerful man turned on his workers and shouted, 'Make me a better city!' The architects tired of the past two years reluctantly went to work on the new city.

Two more years passed and the city was completed. Again the Princess was unhappy.

And so, two more years passed. Then two more. Four years, then eight.

And finally after four more years, the city was completed. It was a beautiful city, one of pure gold and gems. Brightly colored jewels flashed from the highest steeple and the paved ground. It was stunning. It hurt the eye to behold.

The powerful man sent a convoy to pick the Princess up and return her to the most magnificent city.

However, the convoy returned without the Princess. The explanation was rather short. They spoke of how the Princess, although unhappy with the cities had loved him more than anything in the world and desired to be with him. But to live in a dark city was not for her, she needed light, brightness. While she waited for him to complete the city her father engaged in a war with an opposing territory. The opposing territory overwhelmed the Princess's father's army and destroyed the city. The Princess fled to the highest tower whereupon she found herself trapped.

'I will not be slave to you!' she had shouted at the advancing men who had simply laughed at her. She'd smiled a cruel little smile and waved a bottle at them. 'Poison. I'll die very soon. Perhaps I will never see my love again, but at least I shall not have been tainted by men like you!'

And she collapsed into a stupor before finally dying.

The powerful man wept over the death of his beloved princess. The city seemed to be empty, hopeless and he no longer desired to live in this palace.

He packed his bags to the horror of the architects and left his sister in charge. It was his sister who was to rule for the rest of the time the city existed."

Abigail gave a light cough as she finished the retelling. The three of them had finished their lunch and were now sitting quietly. "Is there anymore to the tale?" Ed asked.

Abigail shrugged. "I'm not aware of it."

Ed sighed and rolled his head, cracking his neck. "Are those two the only stories you know?"

Abigail shook her head. "No, those two are the only two that focus on the underground though." Her eyes turned to Roy's. "Well."

"Well." Roy restated. "I suppose it's time to talk about the real issue."


	19. Chapter 19

Edward watched as both Mustang and Abigail walked side by side a bit warily. He could tell that they were both uncomfortable with this situation. He himself was uncomfortable too, he'd learned that his former womanizing commanding officer had been engaged. In the back of his mind he wondered if Hughes had known that he'd been engaged – if Hawkeye knew. They made their way up to Mustang's suite and there once they had settled down, Abigail turned to Roy.

"Is there a reason Edward must be here for this?" She asked before facing Edward. "No offense meant, but I don't really know if any of this is your business."

"He should be here," Roy admitted, "Because," here Roy paused struggling to find the correct words to complete his sentence.

Ed barged in. "I slept with him last night. I too, am wondering what I'm doing here." His eyes narrowed. "Unless you're here to tell me that you are married but to somebody else? Yet, not even an hour ago you told me we had to talk about what happened. You said it was nothing bad – and I highly doubt this is what you were going to tell me, so why don't you tell me what you were going to tell me? Unless…" this time it was Ed who paused, Ed who had to swallow to regain his composure, "now that you two met again that it changes things."

Roy's mouth twitched down, but he didn't say anything. Ed tried not to suck in a harsh breath. He had known, had been more than aware that Mustang was not one to stick with one person. This Abigail must have been very important to him.

Abigail seemed to feel some pity for him, because she spoke instead. "I suppose in that case you deserve to know what happened between us Edward, because you are most definitely part of this now."

Roy seemed to agree but he still didn't utter a word so Abigail continued. "I'm not sure I should be the one telling this tale, as I was only part of it. I think Maes would be better off telling this tale as he introduced us. How is he anyways?"

Edward saw Roy's face tighten painfully and the characteristic moment of utter anger cross his features and Ed interrupted before any more on Hughes could be said.

"He died, Abigail, in helping my brother and I. Can we not talk about him?"

This time it was Abigail who looked upset, but didn't mention it again. She turned to Roy. "You're better qualified than I, so why don't you tell him what happened?"

Roy twisted to face Ed, his face showing little emotion besides the lines that bracketed his mouth.

"I suppose it truly started in 1903 when I entered the two-year military academy. I was sixteen when the Ishval War started – and as you know I trained under Hawkeye's father in fire alchemy. Well, two years later I entered the military academy. It was there Abigail and I met. Although she would drop out after the first six months she and I stayed in touch. Roy met Abigail's eyes. She and I got along well, she knew basic alchemy, and alchemy at that time was important to me. We often went out when I wasn't busy, and after a year and a half of knowing her, I fell in love. Perhaps I should say what I thought was love at the time. It was mid 1904 at this point, and I still had about a year left at the Military Academy, I would graduate in the fall of 1905. I graduated with honors from the Military Academy, and from there I decided to go to Officer's School. Well, in 1906 I proposed to Abigail here. I knew it would be sometime before we married due to the Ishval War. I knew that as soon as I finished the Officer's program I would most likely be shipped out to fight." Roy stopped for a moment, seeming to collect his thoughts. "I was still very idealistic at this point in my life. I thought I could truly make a difference. But…" he sighed, "at the beginning of the year of 1907 there were rumours that a special order had been written up, an order that would force all State Alchemists with combat abilities to go to the front lines. I knew I would be one of those men. And even though I had proposed to Abigail just a year ago, I found myself become more focused on the military and less on family life. It took me most of the year of 1907 to finally decide to break it off with Abigail. I knew that once I broke up with her that there was no chance of a future with her." Roy stopped and sat back. "There was more than that, there were feelings and emotions involved, but I was conflicted at the time and I still don't always know what I was thinking back then. In any case at 1907 turned to 1908 as you well know Edward, I was shipped out to Ishval with Maes, Riza, Hawkeye and the other state alchemists like Kimblee."

Edward's lips thinned as he heard the name and his body gave a little shudder. Roy eyed him a bit curiously but didn't say anything about it.

Abigail sighed, "Yes, how unromantic that telling was. There really was more to that than simple lust, Edward. When he broke our engagement I was crushed. And I know he knew it because when we passed for the few months he was still in Central before the war he had _that look_ on his face. I am sorry to say that I ever loved him." She gazed at Roy for a long moment before looking back at Ed, "You get caught in him and sometimes you can't get free – that happened to me. Even now, part of me still loves him despite all the pain and hurt he put me through. You will face the same challenge all the other woman and men in his life have."

Abigail could see the tick in his cheek, "And I think some part of you still loves me, doesn't it Roy? I can tell, because you really were never able to stick with one person. I know, I know, I'm betting some were not real 'dates' but pretend ones to cover true motives. Yet, people still fell in love with you."

Ed looked down at his shoes. So. He hadn't been the only one, and his thoughts wouldn't stop as Abigail asked Roy point blank, "Do you still love me?"


	20. Chapter 20

Ed felt his breathing stop. If Roy said 'yes', Ed didn't know what he would do. Besides, Ed was still trying to wrap the idea that Roy had ever loved anyone enough to become engaged. Ed had always assumed that Hawkeye would one day become his wife. She seemed the only woman able to put up with him. But apparently Roy _had_ fallen in love with someone else and Ed hated every moment of this conversation. He liked Abigail, but he hated her for bringing all this to the surface. She had complicated everything ten-fold.

Roy didn't say anything for a few moments, but he let his eyes close for a second before they opened again.

"How do I even answer that, Abigail? It's a catch-twenty two."

"Answer me," Abigail demanded. "I deserve an answer, and so does he," she pointed at Ed.

Ed didn't really want than answer though, he'd prefer the lie to the truth, he thought.

Roy looked at Ed briefly, and for a moment Ed thought he saw apology in those dark eyes and then,

"Yes. I suppose I do still love you."

Abigail looked triumphant for a moment. "Then, truthfully, why did you break off our engagement?"

"Because, I thought I would be better off on my own as I worked to achieve my goal." His eyes were focused on Abigail. "And while I may no longer believe I took the right path I have come too far to change my decision. Whatever you desire from me I can no longer freely give."

"Freely give," she mimicked a little coldly, "is a nice phrase to use to say, 'it was a good time, but sorry, I'm not interested anymore."

Roy seemed to flare up underneath her statement, "That's not true," he snapped back, almost as angry as Ed had ever seen him, "Because I still do care, I've always hoped that you'd find somebody else to love you instead of lingering on me. As much as I used to care, I'm no longer _in love_ with you. There is a difference, and you once told me that there was one. When I broke the engagement you said you had always known I simply loved you, that I wanted somebody by my side like Hughes had. And if it had be meant to be we would have stuck together. You also told me that you felt the same. Are you taking that back now?"

Abigail subsided in her anger a bit, and Ed saw the deep sadness in her eyes and realized that she had for a few moments been reliving what she had once felt for Mustang, and that his words had reminded her of what had been decided before. What _she _had decided before, and now she realized the anger she had felt was simply a moment of weakness, a desire to hurt him as much as he had hurt her.

Except, it hadn't worked, because Roy – despite all his other hang-ups in life – had somehow managed to come to terms with this one.

Ed felt bad for a moment, but soon as he watched Abigail lift her head with just a hint of tears upon her lashes, he realized that everything would be all right in the end. That what had ended would stay ended for all eternity.

As he looked on the realization came to him with a sharp snap. Would he end up like Abigail had said he might? Would he end up being unable to let go of Mustang when the man finally let him go? Would he still feel the hurt and anger Abigail had felt towards him? Would he ever be able to move on with his life? Did he want those feelings that Abigail was now showing?

Ed had always thought that he was tough – tougher than most people, but now as he sat and watched he realized just how vulnerable he truly was. He lowered his head as Abigail and Roy talked for a few more minutes.

He stood all of a sudden, sending the chair he was sitting in scraping across the floor. "Well, it seems we're done here. I'm going to go do some more research. So…see you later," and darted out of the room.

Abigail looked at Roy who had watched the young man's exit. "You should go after him. I think I may have scared him with all the talk…about being unable to stop loving you. Even if it is just a fling for you and him, he's now probably terrified he's in love with you, or that once you leave him, he'll be unable to get over him." She studied Roy's face. "Unless…you're not planning on leaving him. In that case I would tell him that too. If you intend on making him a long term person in your life that is. I hesitate to say the word 'boyfriend' because you two are certainly past that. You two have known each other longer than you've been interested in each other. I'm sure you'd be able to work something out if it came to that."

Roy slowly stood from his own seat and looked at Abigail. "Thank you. You've put me in my place again, and reminded me why I should be good to him," he looked at the door. "I know that I enjoy his company and that I'm not quite keen on letting him go quite yet. But love? I'm not sure that's on the table."

As he left, Abigail murmured to herself, "You'd be surprised."

She sat in silence on the chair for a moment and tried not to let herself cry. This meeting had proved what she thought, that things were truly over with Roy Mustang. Although it had hurt to see him again after all these years, she was in a way glad she had. She had finally been able to find some closure after all the pain she had had to go through.

Through the walls she could hear the thin strain of conversation growing higher and higher.

Well, she thought, those two certainly won't have it easy if they decide to stay together.


	21. Chapter 21

Ed was pacing back and forth across the floor in irritation, and Roy watched the young man feeling a bit bad about what had occurred.

Every few moments Ed would cast a dark look over his shoulder before swiveling his head back around. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Roy had known this question was going to come sooner or later, and he'd tried several different ways to phrase the question they all simply sounded like excuses, excuses Ed did not need. He needed the truth.

But for Roy – what was the truth? Abigail had asked him – 'What was Ed to him? What did Ed mean?'. Roy wasn't sure he was ready to answer those questions at the moment. Ed's eyes flashed a deep gold as he turned to pace back to the other end of the room.

He didn't demand an answer right away, showing that he had some restraint and understanding for what Roy was going through. But Ed didn't look at him either and although he didn't say anything he could see those shoulders growing tighter and tighter. Every few moments he could hear the clack of teeth in the quiet and a part of Roy wondered how long Ed would hold his tongue.

Roy decided not to test the young man's patience any further and answered softly, "You don't want excuses and I only have excuses to give you. I simply didn't tell you because I haven't really told anybody. I didn't think you needed to know. If we had decided to become serious, I would have told you. But I didn't know if this would last, so I didn't mention it."

Ed gave him a seething look that asked him to explain further. "I haven't had any permanent lovers in a while. Mostly just simple weekend days with women and the occasional man. Nothing special – just – release."

"Am I that? A simple weekend fling?"

For once Roy couldn't find his tongue to answer. Was Ed a fling? Roy let his eyes flick up to look at the young man and he could see him becoming incensed.

His voice growled out loudly, "Am _I?" _

Roy's tongue was still glued to the top of his mouth and he couldn't answer, something was stopping him and he wished he knew what it was.

Ed licked his lips and turned to face the window. "_Get out_," he ordered softly. Golden eyes had darkened and his lips were drawn tight, his whole body tense and angry.

When Roy didn't move he repeated, "Get out, Mustang."

Roy glanced into the window and caught Edward's gaze. It was unwavering, and it didn't reveal what the young man was thinking. He watched as Edward blinked, but didn't say anything as Roy moved forward.

"I'm not trying to…not answer, I'm trying to decide _what_ to say."

Ed turned his head to the side and looked at the wall and Roy felt his own aggravation rising to the surface. With Ed, with himself, with Abigail, with his whole damnable situation.

Roy closed his eyes briefly and did his best to construct the mask he had gotten so used to wearing and told Ed gently, "I'm not sure what you are. I enjoy your company, we've been allies for – years – and I like to think we at least are friends. That is all true, and while it was enjoyable, I'm not sure what it was a prelude to." He answered honestly. "I'm not sure how I feel. Do you know how you feel?"

Edward finally turned and he had the full force of that gaze on him. "I do." He answered just as truthfully. "Honestly, Mustang, I'm still mad at you. Pissed as fuck in fact, but it's really not your fault. This is my problem and I can fix it – myself."

Roy was trying to tread carefully on this ground. "Fix what?"

Ed's eyes flashed and he responded slowly. "This attraction to you." He shrugged. "It's obviously something you're not totally invested in or interested in pursuing, so I'm not going to force it. It was a onetime thing, I get that. I suppose we do need to figure, whatever could be out before we carry on."

Ed's maturity was outstanding, but he was so far off, that Roy almost wondered how he'd gotten there if he hadn't known that it was his words that had confused him.

"Edward," Roy spoke softly as he stepped forward and placed a hand on the young man's shoulder. "I wasn't saying we should stop, I was saying, I'm not sure how I feel about you – some things are too early to say, to even know your own heart yet."

He drew his hand up to cup Ed's cheek. Edward covered Roy's hand with his and turned his face into the palm.

"I know exactly what you mean," he whispered, eye's closed, his lashes fanning out on his cheeks. Those eyes opened slowly and Ed stared at him half lidded. "We'll give it time then, and see what happens."

His breath tickled Mustang's wrist and Roy pulled him into a hug. Ed tucked his face into the man's shoulder where he breathed quietly. He could feel hands clench into his shirt. Roy looked down at the head of blonde hair and pressed a kiss to it ever so gently as if afraid of waking the beast. As he pulled away he saw Ed's eyes had closed again.

"Still mad at you," he grumbled with a little bit of his good humor revived. Roy felt Edward lick his lips and was barely able to repress a shiver at the thought…and then Ed spoke again. "Thank you."

And Roy felt something in his breast stir and beat with an uneven rhythm. His hand was still cradling the back of Ed's head and as he looked down yet again he felt Edward's hand move above his shirt and press over his heart. "Your hearts pounding," Ed informed him, leaving his hand where it was.

_Your hearts pounding_, the words echoed in his head. He blinked a few times and Maes voice resounded in his head,

_Every time I see Gracia it feels like my hearts going to burst. _

Roy remembered this sensation very well.

Love.


	22. Chapter 22

Ed pulled back and looked up at Roy. Roy was staring off into the distance as if he were shocked by something. Ed could still hear his heart beating fast and he wondered what exactly was causing the man's heart to beat so fast. Ever so gently he stroked up the back of the man's neck and pulled his head down. Roy went easily and Ed leaned up to meet his mouth. They kissed slowly, gently, a simple meeting of the mouths and Ed pulled away a moment later.

Eyes open he watched as several expressions crossed Roy's face. Roy's hands were gentle as he tipped Ed's head back and kissed him again and again. Ed let his eyes close as Roy's hands dropped to his shoulders then smoothed down his arms and cupped his hips. Roy moved closer and Ed managed to get his hands against the man's chest and push him back. When he managed to push Roy back he himself backed up to the door which he opened.

"We can't. We've got things to do."

Roy's eyes narrowed and he prowled forward. "We have plenty of time."

Ed could feel the beat of the pulse in his neck and he tried to get his heart to stop pounding, his body to stop responding to the look in Roy's eyes.

He swallowed and stepped back out into the hallway. "No," he repeated firmly, "we came here to do something and we must do it. It's important, Mustang."

Mustang leaned back onto his heels and stared at Edward who had kept backing up and he grimaced and sighed, letting his shoulders sag. Ed saw the defeat in his eyes.

"Sorry," he muttered and let himself move back towards Roy, closing the awkward distance.

Roy's hand ruffled his hair and sighed again. "All right. Let's get Abigail and see if she can give us locations."

Ed grinned and sauntered down the hall, more confident. He knew how to do this. There was nothing that could stop him. He was the former Fullmetal Alchemist, the youngest ever, he was also a genius alchemist, his father had been a philosopher's stone, also of Xerxes and he was Mustang's protégé. All these things made him one of the greatest alchemists to ever exist. He looked over his shoulder to see Mustang still striding with military precision. He knew Mustang didn't have to walk like that, he'd seen the man walk with the grace of a cat before. But now when he was trying to calm some raging emotion he'd fallen back on a military march to help himself focus. Ed grinned. It hadn't even taken a minute to walk to Mustang's room and they found Abigail waiting there patiently for them.

She looked up as the entered and raised a questioning eyebrow. "Is everything…good?"

Roy met her eyes. "It'll be fine." His voice was confident and sure, not a hint of shakiness and Ed felt his chest clench and tighten. Mustang's unwavering faith in him made him feel a little lost. Al had had unwavering faith in him too – and he'd nearly destroyed their lives. He only hoped this was one he wouldn't wreck. Mustang was needed – he still had a goal to reach, a goal that might never be reached if Ed interfered with his life. He met Roy's eyes and they held a warmth Ed cherished for a moment.

One little night had completely turned his world upside down and now he would have to deal with the consequences, whatever they may be. Right now, those consequences were looking good and Ed didn't have any intention of letting them change to something horrible.

Abigail looked skeptical and then as if Roy was aware of his feelings he spoke again, "Edward and I are fine, Abigail, as we always will be. We may fight, but that is normal for us. Stop worrying." His eyes trailed over Ed. "You too."

Ed lifted his eyebrows but didn't respond to Mustang's comment. He turned away and lifted the shades on the window to look out. The streets had emptied rather quickly due to the slight rainfall. He let the shade fall closed as he turned and leaned back against the wall.

"It's raining now," he said sourly.

Roy let the side of his mouth twitch up in amusement. "You don't like getting rained on?"

Ed pushed back against the wall in irritation. "I had enough of it for a lifetime."

He turned his head to the side and looked down at the floor, "It always seemed to be raining." His fists clenched tightly. "It felt like it would never stop…" he didn't say anything else, but looked up glaring when he saw Roy staring at him, "What?" he asked a bit irritated.

Roy shook his head and looked to Abigail. "Is there any way to get underground here?"

"Sure," she shrugged. "You can go through the sewers. There are a few underground tunnels, never mapped so we don't know where they go. We don't even know what they were used for. Don't know what is in them, what condition they are in either. If you want to go in them, do so at your own risk." She narrowed her eyes. "You aren't actually thinking of going in them are you?"

"Yeah," Ed muttered, "we are. Do you know if the sewers or tunnels run all the way to those mountains?"

"As I said – no."

Ed sighed. "And we can't use that mountain path if the moon isn't out…" He cast a glance at Roy. "Do you have any suggestions?"

Roy tapped a finger on the table he was sitting at. "Perhaps we look at the tunnels and sewers tonight. Abigail, do you have maps of terrain in this area? Especially the area around the mountains?"

She hummed for a moment as she thought. "I'll ask around. If you are planning going into those tunnels or sewers you'll need a guide."

"I though you just said –" Ed began.

"Most people have never explored that area. There is one person who has. Adam Velaz. You'll want to talk to him about going down into those sewers. He knows the way better than anybody. And he has the most comprehensive map of the tunnels. Even he hasn't explored that much. He might like to tag along as well." She pointed at Ed. "You'll have to be careful, it's easy to get lose and sometimes the water level can get high, we don't know where it comes from. I'll go get those maps for you if I can. How about we meet back here at say, seven o'clock tonight?"

Ed let his brow furrow. "It's going to take that long?"

Abigail raised her eyebrows, "Do you want to go or not?"

Ed scowled. "Fine."

Her shoes tapped against the floor as she headed to the door. "As a friendly warning there are some people who live in the mountains. They don't take kindly to visitors – or trespassers – watch where you step." And she left.

"Ambiguous, huh," Ed stated. He let his eyes narrow. "Now there's two things we need to look into, this Adam person and those mountain people. I will bet you anything that they're up to something out there. I highly doubt you'd live in those mountains unless you had a higher purpose."

"I see," Roy murmured, "the mountains are far more dangerous than living in the plains – and it wouldn't exactly be a safe place to raise a family or live on your own. I agree. Let's talk to this Adam person first and we can explore the idea of these mountain people later."

Ed rubbed his fingers together. "Well. Let's go see if Adam is in."


	23. Chapter 23

Roy and Ed pulled their coats on and headed to the door. Ed's tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth all of a sudden as he felt a cool chill settle into his bones as they exited the inn. Outside was dreary and cold, and dark clouds rolled across the sky brining rain and thunder with them. Ed pulled his coat up higher around his neck in hopes of keep the rain off of him. Next to him Roy stood patiently waiting for him. The bastard, Ed thought, he's so useless in the rain, yet right now he was calmly standing in the middle of it all.

Ed glared and stopped through the puddles. He shivered as some rain trickled down the back of his neck and true cold began to set into his bones. He sniffled a bit and rubbed his nose. It was strange, this rain, coming on so quickly. And the cold. Earlier it hadn't been freezing, but now it was. He rubbed his arms vigorously. The weather was strange and as they approached a woman she looked rather harried and not keen on being stopped by two strange men.

"Excuse me," Roy intercepted her neatly, "We're looking for Adam."

"Adam? Oh, Adam Velaz. Well." She looked them over. "I don't know why you'd want to see him…"

Roy lowered his head a bit, and said softly, "It's important."

She frowned and spoke a little shortly, "Very well. Just beyond that fencing over there –" she pointed to a fence that bordered the town on the north side, "is a dirt road. Follow that road till you reach a juncture. If you head to the left you'll be leaving the town and be heading towards the mountains. Go to the right and walk along the side path there. You'll reach some more fencing. Follow the fencing and you'll reach Adam. I don't know what you want with him, but I'd advise you to be very careful. You never know what that guy has planted."

Ed shifted on his feet a bit impatiently as Mustang exchanged a few more words with the woman, ending by thanking her for her help. She waved it off and carried on her way.

Roy turned to Ed and motioned him closer. "These people," he whispered softly, "are very secretive. I don't even think you'd get something out of them."

Ed shook his head, "They're definitely hiding something, and I bet it has something to do with Adam. They don't want us to find him." Ed's eyes flashed. "She gave us false directions, I don't remember seeing any path to the right on a map. But we might as well head that way and see what we find."

Roy curled his hand into Ed's gently and tugged him along. Ed followed his other hand shaking a bit as they walked at a quick pace. They reached the fence a few minutes later and peered about.

"Ah, there." Roy pointed to a dirt path.

Ed squinted and frowned, sighing with irritation. "Of course it's dirt and of course it's going to be muddy." He grimaced as they clambered over the fence and landed with a plop on the other side. Roy grasped Ed's waist to finish helping him over.

They made their way to the dirt road doing their best to avoid the holes in the ground. The holes were unusual, nearly rectangle in form, and deep, at least six feet in length.

Ed had a bad feeling that crawled over him and finally he bent over at one of the edges and peered down into it. At the bottom of the hole was a very rotted wooden board – rather, a wooden box, but there wasn't much left to identify it as such, and as Ed stood and gazed around he noticed with horror that there were very few places that didn't have holes, and all the holes were evenly spaced and aligned.

"Mustang," he called softly horror tinging his voice. "Mustang!" he called a little louder.

Roy turned with a questioning look on his face that faded quickly to concern as he took in Ed's pale face and the horror and a bit of terror on it.

"What's wrong Ed?"

Ed swallowed and pointed into the open hole. "Look," his voice trembled.

Roy peered in and jerked back, glancing around him. "Are they all…?"

"Yeah," Ed whispered. "They're all graves."

"What is this place? Why are there no markers…what…?" Roy's voice wasn't so steady any more either and he looked around warily.

Ed grimaced as he stepped forward and the ground began to give. He jerked back quickly and fought the urge to scream. This was…this was just horrifying.

"I bet you this is a very old cemetery. If you look, there are just barely remnants of where a wooden headpiece wood have been." Roy pointed down to a small section of stone. "The stone would have held the wood board." He looked around. "But this…they're all of the same age. Or it looks that way. You never see this type of graveyard unless…"

"There was a war," Ed finished grimly.

"We're finding that there are more questions than answers," Roy spoke softly.

Ed looked around the graveyard. "Perhaps…this was one of the places used to make the stone?" Ed queried to himself softly. "But…" he continued, "it's not really in the right place? An isolated incident then?"

He felt a tremor run through him and his automail leg seized up and he grimaced.

"In any case," he spoke, as they turned from the graveyard, "we can figure that out later. Let's go talk to Adam and figure the tunnels out first. There's simply too much going on to be a coincidence."

Roy agreed silently as he took a last look. He eyes Ed and saw the young man was still severely pale and grimacing as he walked. The automail then, he thought, was hurting him.

"Let's hurry," he told the young man, "and get you somewhere warm."

Ed nodded and they hurried down the long dirt road. When they reached the end there was no side path, and Ed concluded the woman thought that they would simply go the way she said. He narrowed his eyes as he gazed at the direction she had sent them. There was a woods and through the distance he could make out a small settlement in that direction.

Ed pointed it out, "I bet you that's another town over there. She was trying to get us to leave." He let his trail had a bit further, "She didn't lie about the fencing. Do you see it? It's almost gone now."

Roy analyzed the situation. It was obvious that there were no other houses, and Abigail had said Adam lived here…so where would he be? Ed had already turned to the left. "I bet you anything that Adam lives this way." Ed pointed up towards the mountains. "We didn't come this way, we came from another angle. I suppose we could also reach the mountains this way too." He sighed. "Let's walk a little further and see if we can find this Adam."

The two men walked side by side for a few minutes as they traveled the road. Ed's feet scuffed through the mud, splattering his pants with the substance.

Roy noted a little worried that Ed's limp was getting more pronounced the longer they were out in this weather. Ed must have noticed him looking and raised his shoulders in a helpless gesture. "Not much for it, Roy. It hurts, yes, but I've learned to live with it. Just keep going and don't worry about me."

"I always worry about you," Roy told him. "Even when you were younger and doing stupid things, I worried."

Ed eyed him as he stepped over a pothole. "I could have guessed – then I thought you were doing it to only irritate me. I always feel like we have this conversation though," Ed remarked with a huff of irritation.

Roy grinned. "We probably do. It's a common subject matter, one thing on a short list of items we have in common."

Ed's eyes narrowed sharply and Roy gave him a wink. "It's not an insult. Sometimes being different is better."

Edward's shoulders relaxed a moment later and they carried on in silence.

"So," Ed began, "I wonder why you worry so much, you know I do very well taking care of myself, don't you?"

"Of course, I wouldn't have sent you on half the missions I did if I thought you couldn't take care of yourself. I know you're resourceful and strong. Stubborn, determined…a whole list of things that you'd probably hit me for. You were also my best tool and resource. I knew I could trust and count on you to get something done."

Ed grimaced, "I don't like the idea of being someone's tool…or being used."

Roy patted his shoulder. "You used me and I used you. As you once said, equivalent exchange."

Ed scooted closer and bumped the man's shoulder (arm, really) with his. "Yeah. Thanks."

Roy stopped in the middle of the dirt path and scrubbed a hand over his face. "Ed," he said softly. "When we get back to Central we will have to decide what to tell people. You know what they're going to say."

"I really don't," Ed responded. "I don't care what people say…what they think. My life is my own. It's really not anybody else's business."

Roy coughed. "Unfortunately getting involved with me means your life will be examined far more closely. Especially when I make a bid for Fuhrer. And while it may be your life, it will also be our life. And while I agree with you people shouldn't care, I have to. I have to put forth an image I want people to see – and I have to keep it up in public."

"You mean you don't want to be seen with me?"

"No, you only enhance my image. What I mean is, we should reveal our relationship. Secrets only tend to become worse with time. If we're honest now it's less likely to backfire." Roy brushed his hand across Ed's. "Politics are very tricky things," Roy continued. "One misstep and my whole career could crumble into dust. I don't want that, and I know you probably don't want that for me. Otherwise you wouldn't have made that promise to me." Roy saw Ed's cheeks flush brightly even in the grayness that surrounded them. Roy licked his lips. "Therefore the best recourse is to publically admit our relationship and do some damage control. Obviously we'll say this is a new development and that there was nothing but professionalism between us when you were in the military. That I didn't lay a hand on you. That this relationship is consensual."

Ed looked down at the mud on his boots. "That means…"

"Yes, you'll have to be in the public eye. You will have to stand by and support all my choices, all my actions. Any scandal could bring down my career."

Ed scowled and Roy grinned. "I know you hate not making trouble, but, I'd appreciate it if you didn't try and kill anyone…destroy government property or houses."

Ed stuck his tongue out and shook his head. To dislodge some of the wet strands that were sticking to his cheek.

"I'll be good, I promise," his eyes twinkled with merriment before his face bleached white and his knee gave out.

Roy caught him before he could land in the mud and Ed grumbled with a bit of irritation as Roy looped his arm around Ed's waist and Ed put his arm behind Roy's neck and they hobbled a few more feet.

"Hold on," Roy told him, "I'll carry you on my back."

Ed's brows dipped in his typical frown. "You'll hurt your back…"

Roy gave him a scathing look. "I'm not that old Ed. And besides, I doubt we're very far from our goal." In the distance there was a small house that was emitting smoke from a chimney. "Even if it's not Adam, we can rest there until your knee stops aching."

Roy hoisted Ed up onto his back and they set off for the house.


	24. Chapter 24

A man just a bit older than Roy opened up the door to the house, an eyebrow raised in question. Ed cleared his throat from Roy's back. "Uhm, hi. Do you think we could come in?"

The man took a good look at their mud splattered forms and the fact that Ed was being carried and he motioned them inside with a wave of his hand. Roy planted Ed on the floor in front of the fire.

"How long do you think it will take to get your knee to feel better?" he asked.

Ed rubbed at it for a few moments. "Not long, I don't think." He rubbed it again. "The warmth is loosening the joints."

Roy rubbed his nose and turned to the man who let them in. "I'm sorry to disturb you, we were looking for someone. Adam Velaz."

"Oh," the man said, "that's me. Why are you looking for me?"

Ed looked up from his place on the floor. He blinked for a moment as the fire flicked shadows across the man's face and for a moment – but no. "We need to go down into the sewers. The tunnels. We were told you were the expert on that type of thing."

"I am." His eyes narrowed. "I'm curious as to why you'd want to go down beneath the town. There's nothing of interest down there. It's mostly empty."

Ed sat forward. "Do you think you can tell us a bit about it? We're doing some research and it would be really helpful if you could uh, help us out a bit with it. We did come all the way up here to talk to you," Ed said hopefully.

Adam frowned. "I don't even know your names," he said softly. "I don't know who you are, I don't even know why I should help you. You could be serial killers for all I know."

"I apprehended a serial killer once," Ed supplied helpfully.

"Apprehended a serial killer?" Adam said thoughtfully, "Hmm." Roy shot Ed a dark glance as Adam continued, "That means you're not anyone normal, that you're either with the police or the military." He tapped his chin and pointed a finger at Roy. "It's obvious you're in the military. The stance and posture you move in are obviously military. You though," he turned to Ed, "are strange. Sometimes you move in a military fashion, other times not. The military also isn't keen on working with outsiders, so I'd assume you were in the police, but you look too young for that." His eyes lingered between the two of them. "So. You're obviously here for something important. Now, why don't you tell me what you're up to and then perhaps I can help you. Equivalent exchange."

Ed gasped, "You're an alchemist!" and Adam jerked his head over with a lift of his mouth.

"Yes I am. I take it you are as well?"

Ed's mouth moved, but no sound came out, instead there was a sour look to his lips. "I used to be."

"Used to be?"

"I lost my alchemy a few years ago."

"Yet, you still act like an alchemist…"

"Just because I preform alchemy does not mean that I'm not an alchemist. I still think like one, I still understand alchemy, I draw arrays, I know how they work, I devise new ways-!"

Adam held his hands up, "I didn't mean any offense. But now I've got a very good clue as to who you are, Edward Elric. There is only one person in this entire world who still understands alchemy yet lacks it. The great Fullmetal Alchemist."

"Not any more I'm not."

"You'll still always be the Hero of the People to a lot of individuals in this country. You inspired people. You made people fall in love with you. You are considered a great man."

Ed frowned and picked at his pants. "I'm not great at much anymore."

Adam sat down in a chair and waved Mustang into another.

"I highly doubt that. You wouldn't be here if you were useless, am I right Roy Mustang?"

Roy raised an eyebrow, shrugged and leaned back into his chair. "Yes. That's very true. Edward here is still great, even among his peers. He is considered a legend after all."

Edward looked at him, scowled and pointed, "I'm going to assume that is all your fault anyways. I've been travelling for years – I don't know why people haven't forgotten about me yet."

"You're unforgettable," Adam supplied, "Now, why not tell me what brings you all the way out here."

Ed gave a soft snort, and leaned back on his hands. "It's a long story."

"I have time."

"We don't." Roy said grimly and Adam turned to face him, planting hands on his knees.

"Tell me quickly then, and perhaps I can help you."

Roy briefly outlined everything that had occurred, leaving out the mention of El Dorado and Adam whistled as he leaned back into his chair once more.

"Well. I can certainly tell you that you came to the right person." He frowned. "So Abigail wants to meet at seven?" he glanced at his clock. "Then it's high time we were off, and perhaps we can make it there before her."

"You're not staying here?"

Adam turned to face him. "Of course not, I'd love another chance to explore those tunnels. There is so much left undiscovered."

"Speaking of undiscovered things, you said you know a little bit about what's inside those tunnels?"

Adam nodded, "I do, but we should talk on our way. Walking these paths after dark isn't terribly much fun. It's easy to get hurt, lost or killed."

Ed shivered and they all stood. The rain was still dripping from the sky, almost acting as if it were a sulky child, Ed thought with a bit of irritation. He huffed and slipped on a puddle. Both Adam and Roy grabbed him before he could hit the ground. He grumbled as he regained his feet and wouldn't look at either of them as embarrassment suffused him.

Roy's hand closed on his shoulder and squeezed. Ed wondered whether it was to give him confidence or if it was for some other reason. He looked up but Roy's face was unreadable, that perfect, blank mask in place.

He huffed and they set off down the path once more. Adam began to fill them in on some of the things they should expect to see in the tunnels and sewers.

"I'll start with the sewers, those are the easiest to talk about. The sewers flood often and quickly. It is the cause of some unknown water source. We have looked for it, but it seems to be hidden away very well in the mountains. I have a feeling alchemy might be causing it, but I'm not entirely sure." He lifted his shoulders a bit against the rain. "So we have to watch out for water rise. There are very few exits in the sewers, always keep an eye out for one in case you need to use it. The sewers themselves are massive. You wouldn't think a small town like ours would need such large sewers, but apparently they do. Much of them are old, and perhaps this town used to be bigger. It certainly seems that way. We shouldn't run into many animals down in there. Mostly rats, a few homeless people who drifted this way, teenagers, a few other odd creatures and that's about it."

By this point they were getting close to the cemetery and it gave Ed pause. "Hey Adam?" he asked.

"Yeah?"

"That patch of land there – what is it?"

Adam shrugged. "I don't known. Random stones are strewn about. We try not to cross it, it's probably a bog with all the sinking land."

"You've never explored it?" Ed inquired a little sharply.

Adam narrowed his eyes again. "No, why? And don't fob me off, give me the truth."

Ed huffed, "It's a cemetery. There's corpses and coffins in that field. Looks like a mass burial."

Adam's mouth became a thin line. "I don't know anything about that, there hasn't been a mass burial here ever as far as I was aware. No one in the past three hundred years has mentioned anything."

"Hm. Well, you did say they were really old, right Roy?"

"Yes. They're probably older than three hundred years."

Ed frowned. "How are they so well preserved then? I know that bones can last for hundreds of years – but the condition!"

Adam shrugged. "The dry air probably."

"But if the ground is sinking…there's obviously water."

"That must all be new, Edward," Roy used his warning voice, "Now leave Adam alone so he can finish telling us about the tunnels."

If Adam realized Roy had essentially told Ed to shut up, he didn't show it.

"Well, besides the water, the tunnels are very much like the sewers except they lack human life. They too twist and turn and it's hard to make out where some parts begin and other's end. It's very much a maze."

"Anything else?"

"I don't know what you want to hear – it's just easier to experience it for yourself. Other than the fact I've only ever found the single entrance and exit. It's very dark inside, so make sure you bring a light."

Ed shivered at the image it had created. "Weird."

Adam nodded, "It is. But…at the same time it's interesting. I always wonder why those tunnels were built, why they were created. There must have been a special reason!"

Ed was slowly forming a picture in his head about what the tunnels were for. "Did it look like some were caved in?"

Adam nodded. "Almost as if someone preformed alchemy and it all came down on their heads. I wouldn't be surprised if there were human bodies buried in there."

Ed and Roy's eyes met as they approached the town. It seemed that things definitely were not as they seemed.

"Have you ever heard stories about underground cities here?" Ed asked with caution.

Adam grinned. "Plenty! The one about the Princess for example, but mostly it just seemed to say, 'don't wait too long to get what you want, otherwise you might lose it', there are other's about hidden cities and hidden religions…a bunch of them, but they're not just from here, they're also from the surrounding towns."

Ed nodded as if it had confirmed what he thought. Adam seemed to think they were up to something suspicious, "Why?"

"That's what we're investigating, if there was any history or truth to this 'hidden cities', perhaps they could give us some of the history of this area. I enjoy history," Ed lied with ease, "and it would make a good study to see if they used alchemy here."

"Aha," Adam breathed, "You're studying the progress of alchemy! I knew you were up to something suspicious!"

He narrowed his eyes. "I'll take you down into the tunnels as long as you allow me to map them and use the information therein."

Ed looked at him hard, "Unfortunately this is…military business, so anything you see you can't speak a word of to anyone. Feel free to map the tunnels if you like though. You're welcome to do so."

Adam huffed but acknowledged the request with a bow of his head.

Roy nodded to Abigail who was waiting by the side of the inn. "I guess we all got here early."

Abigail waved as they approached and when they had all shaken hands and greeted each other she looked at Roy. "I got your terrain maps and the maps of the surrounding area." She pulled out a pack and handed it over. "Hopefully these will be what you were looking for. I had to call on some favors, so you owe me one Roy."

Roy smiled. "Thank you. Just tell me what you need, and I'll see what I can do."

"I think I'll save my favor for later," she told him, "Good luck, and hopefully I'll see you all in one piece tomorrow." She tossed a wave over her shoulder as she turned from them and Ed sighed a bit before turning to Adam.

"So where is this entrance?"

Adam led them to the hole in the ground and they peered in.

"Looks dangerous, doesn't it?" Ed inquired.

"Very," Roy told him.

"Extremely," Adam added.

Ed grinned and jumped in.


	25. Chapter 25

Ed landed with a splat in the sewers and he swore. He heard Roy and then Adam jump in after him. They held up the light as they looked around. The sewers were damp and dark. They smelled badly as well and the walls were covered in blue-green algae. Ed was disgusted. He wrinkled his nose as he moved further along the tunnel. "So where is this path to the tunnels?" he asked.

"It is quite a ways in," Adam told him as his boots clacked on the stone floor. "It's easy to miss. Both you and I will probably have to duck," he told Mustang a bit wryly, "Ed, you'll probably be fine."

Ed scowled and waved his hands around but didn't say anything. All was quiet except for the dripping of the water in the tunnels. Ed could hear the puff of their breath in the quiet and the occasional plop of some animal jumping into the water and he shivered again.

Everything was making him nervous as of late, and Roy, wonderful Roy, seemed to sense his thoughts because he dropped back to walk with Ed and squeezed his hand.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly.

Ed shook his head. "No. It's…weird," he said, "it feels…it's a weird sensation. Maybe I hung out with Ling too much, but this feels like –" Ed paused nervously, "almost homunculus like."

"It's not possible though, is it? Making another homunculus?"

Ed rubbed his arms. "I'm not sure, my father is dead, the bearded bastard is dead, all the homunculi are dead aside from Pride who is a child right now…"

Ed lost his voice and it wavered, Roy's hand tightened on his. "I'll call Grumman when we get to the surface. Just to check."

"I don't think…but I don't know either." Ed scrubbed his face with his hands a little anxiously. "I feel like I can't trust anyone, everything seems wrong. Just…wrong, and I've felt it almost since we've gotten here. I don't like it, Roy, it makes me nervous and without my alchemy…"

Roy nodded. "I got it. We'll be extra careful from here on it. We'll double check everything. We won't leave a single stone unturned." His eyes flashed. "I'll protect you if I need to."

Ed's eyes had flashed and he'd opened his mouth to protest…_if I need to_. So, Roy would let him fight on his own, he didn't want to be protected, yet, why was he so mad that Roy had said _if I need to_? He heard Roy sigh, and he looked up apologetically.

"I'm sorry, I know I'm a brat sometimes but…"

Roy was tempted to roll his eyes. "I know, Ed, what you're feeling. You hate they you might have to be protected and you want to be able to fight on your own, but you like the idea that I'll have your back if you need it even if you don't want it."

Ed grinned sheepishly, "Exactly."

Roy gave his hand one last squeeze and bent down to whisper against Ed's ear, "If you sense _anything_ out of the ordinary, if anything makes you uncomfortable, tell me. Also, be sure not to let Adam in on any of this. We already revealed far too much."

Ed nodded and let go of Roy's hand.

Adam nodded as Roy walked at his side again. "You were once his commanding officer once, right? I heard that you never got along, yet now you are…what changed?"

"Don't all relationships evolve or devolve? Things are never stagnant."

"I suppose, but if you really hated each other,"

He didn't get to finish because Ed broke in. "We disliked each other even though we were allies. We like riling each other, but now, we're close because of that. We still argue of course, we aren't very good at backing down, we're both stubborn but we work well together because of it. Anymore questions?"

Adam looked them over. "I can tell there's a bit more than friendship brewing beneath those masks of yours. I also know I still don't know the full truth of whatever is going on here. I don't appreciate it, but I can live with it."

Ed looked a bit apologetic. "You really don't want to be involved with this. It could mean death."

Adam whirled around and snarled, "And you didn't feel fit to tell me that! Maybe I didn't want to get involved then!" his face was inflamed with anger. He yanked his pack off his back and pulled some papers out, shoving them into Ed's hands. "Maps. I'm going back, I have no desire to get myself killed!" he snapped.

They watched as he moved into the darkness. Soon they couldn't hear his footsteps anymore.

Ed turned to Roy. "He's going to follow us, isn't he?"

Roy nodded. "We'll have to be careful, and I can use my alchemy to stop him. I highly doubt he'll know how to decompose that wall."

They moved along the corridors, Ed reading off directions as he navigated with the map.

Every few feet they stopped to make a mark on the wall and take inventory of where they were and to listen to the footsteps of the man following them.

"You'd think," Ed told Roy, "that he'd be sneakier than that. It's as if he wants us to know that he's there."

"Maybe he does, maybe he knows something he's not telling us."

"Good point, well, we'll keep letting him follow us and see where it leads."

They slowly charted a path through the sewers carefully. Roy could tell Ed was getting bored, he was fidgeting more and more often, looking behind himself and twisting himself up into knots.

Finally, exasperated with his partner's fidgeting, Roy spoke, "What do you want to do when we get back?"

"What?" Ed asked surprised.

"To the town, to Central, whichever, pick one."

Ed mulled this over as they continued the stroll down the tunnel. "Well, after we get to the town depending on what we find here I want to go to those mountain ranges and talk to those mountain men and solve this mystery."

"Agreed."

"And then," Ed continued, "when we're back in Central you'll take me to dinner, woo me, take me back to my apartment and –"

Ed cut off as they reached a small entryway.

"And what?" Roy prompted but realized quickly he wasn't going to get an answer until they were out of the tunnels.

As usual, Ed had opened the door and already scrambled to the other side.

When Roy had gotten through himself Ed commanded, "Close it, would you?"

And the door shut behind them. Ed didn't look back, but instead charged forwards into the darkness. They were met with a rather large dirt tunnel and Ed looked to his left, then to his right and pulled out a compass.

Roy wondered where Ed had gotten that from, but he'd rather not ask for fear of the answer. Ed turned towards what Roy guessed was north and headed off at a steady pace. They quickly came to a blocked passage whereupon Ed looked at Roy.

Roy got the message loud and clear, Ed wanted him to unblock the passage, but the further along they got in the more Roy began to realize that they were slowly approaching an area which seemed to have almost been hurriedly abandoned. Ed realized it too because his pace slowed down and he looked about himself much more carefully. They could still hear Adam's footsteps and Roy had grown very suspicious of the man.

They stopped in the corridor and Roy placed his hands on the adjacent wall, but Ed shook his head. "This is the end. There will be no more corridors."

Roy looked up with his eyebrow raised in confusion. Ed pointed around them. "Just look…they all left their tools here." And his hand slowly trailed to a corner where Roy could see skeletons. "They died here too."

Roy stepped in a small circle to survey where they were and found his senses were telling him to run.

"Let's go, Roy. Adam was a lying asshole. He knew there was nothing to these tunnels. They all just dead end. I'll bet you Abigail knew too." He was snarling. "Adam just followed to keep an eye on us." Ed's fury was radiant. "I think we're going to need to have a nice long chat with those two."

They maneuvered themselves out of the small cavern and closed it up. "Adam must have removed all the stone and placed it back, or rather, the town blocked up the tunnels. They're hiding something…something big."

Roy had the same feeling and he didn't like where it was going. "I'm thinking that Abigail truly thought no had explored the tunnels," he said, "Adam probably knew, he's an alchemist. He found something he didn't want anyone else to find. I highly doubt the whole town is suspect."

Ed conceded with bad grace that it was unlikely the townspeople would cover up old deaths like that. "But what is he hiding? Could it just be gold?"

They met Adam blocking their pathway. "You're right Ed. There was tons of gold down here. I found it, so I thought I'd keep it. But there was something strange about it. It fell apart not too long after. Weird stuff it was." His eyes closed. "So I decided that I needed to keep it a secret. In case any more came back."

Ed snorted. "Gold doesn't just _grow_."

"I know that!" Adam snapped, "But, still." He shrugged. "I didn't want you getting your greedy paws on it, you military bastards. You'd arrest me simply because I took it." He shook his head. "I wasn't about to go to jail for something I didn't do. But these tunnels gave me the creeps so I closed them off. That's it, nothing illegal."

Ed's eyes were still narrowed. "Okay, so, I was trying to turn stone to gold, which I sealed off down here. It didn't work."

Roy sighed. "I won't arrest you – but I warn you," his eyes flashed, "I better not hear of anything strange coming from here again or I _will_ be back," he threatened.

Adam held up his hands. "I promise, nothing else will happen. I'll behave." His nose twitched. "You said you wanted to talk to the mountain men?"

"I knew you were listening!" Ed hissed.

Adam shrugged. "I wanted to know what you were up to."

"Now you know – so what about the mountain men?"

"Just mention me by name, I help them out every once in a while. Tell them I'll do them a favor. In repayment for your not reporting me. Equivalent exchange."

Ed held out his hand and Adam gripped it. "I suppose I should thank you, but…somehow I don't want to."

Ed pulled the maps out of the pack he was carrying them and laid them on the ground. "Can you burn them Roy? We don't need anyone else coming down here. We'll seal up the entrance permanently, I'll even tell you how to booby trap it to warn off curious parties."

Roy laughed and lit a small spark with his gloves and Adam dove for the maps but Ed caught him in the chest with his foot. "Oh no you don't, not even you will be able to get back in here."

Adam scowled as he watched his work go up in flames. "Come on," Roy pulled Adam to his feet. "Let's get out of here."

Ed led the way out to the door and once they made sure Adam was out of reach Ed scrawled an array on the wall for Roy to use. Mustang dutifully followed Ed's instructions and created a nearly impenetrable barrier. No one could get in unless they knew the arrays used. Roy quickly destroyed the evidence of the array Ed had drawn.

Adam was scowling. The door that had once led to the tunnels now looked like part of the sewer wall.

There was no going back.

Roy and Ed ushered Adam back to the surface and when they emerged they found it had stopped raining.


	26. Chapter 26

They made it back to the inn without a further incident and Ed collapsed on his bed in exhaustion. He heard the soft thump of Roy's door closing and he squirmed out of his clothes and let them fall on the floor without fanfare. His body felt too tight for his skin, his heart thrummed and beat with life. He let his head fall to the side on the pillow and watched the adjoining door, hoping…just hoping, but it seemed that the bastard had decided to leave him asleep. Ed's teeth ground together in irritation for a moment before he relaxed his jaw. It wasn't Roy's fault though, now that he thought about it. He was probably tired from the day's events. Roy had carried him, done some heavy alchemy and had been met with some emotional problems. Ed frowned and snuffled into the pillow for a moment before he let his palm trail across his chest and stomach, stopping at his naval and breathing heavily. His other fingers clenched in the sheet and gave it a little tug as he tried to control his feelings. He breathed through his nose and out through his mouth again and again as he tried to relax and stop arousal from taking over.

It really wasn't working, Ed thought and rolled over onto his belly and tried to think of kittens, all the kittens Al had probably accumulated.

_Ugh_. Ed's mind responded. And he felt his heart thump in his chest as he thought of his precious brother. Al, Al who deserved so much more than what Ed could give him, Al who loved him, Al who loved Winry, Al, always Al. Ed would do anything for Al. He would even pay Winry's tuition bills if it made Alphonse happy. Whatever his brother wanted, Ed would give him.

Thinking about his brother helped his problem somewhat, Al was Al, Al was innocent, Al…wasn't innocent anymore. Ed buried his face in his pillow and tried to suffocate himself.

What was he doing out here?

Why?

Why had he agreed?

_Because Mustang asked_.

Why should it matter if it was him or not, you said no more work for the military?

_You love him. _

_Love_. Such a strange concept, and not one Ed was keen on voicing at this moment. He rolled back onto his back and stared at the ceiling intently and wondered what Al would say.

His eyes landed on the phone in the room (nice, this inn was, it wasn't often you had your own phone…) and moved to it like a sleepwalker.

He didn't even think about the time, just dialed a number he'd written down on a small pad of paper.

_Ring, ring, ring, ri-_

"_Hello?" _the voice on the other side of the line was soft with sleep.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Hughes, I was wondering if Al was still there -?"

"_Edward,_" he could hear the smile in her voice as she greeted and recognized the late night caller. _"He's still here. Would you like me to get him for you?" _

Ed almost said 'no, sorry, sorry to wake you,' but he might as well, considering he'd woken up Gracia and everything.

"Please, that would be good."

"_Of course, Edward. I'll just let you two hang up when you're done." _He heard the clack of the receiver being put down onto the hall table he could see so vividly in his minds eyes and hear the soft steps of Gracia walking away. It was a few minutes later when the phone was picked up again and then there he was,

"_Hello?"_ Al sounded tired as he answered the phone and Edward regretted calling him so late.

"Hi, Al. I'm sorry to wake you up."

"_Brother?" _Again, Al sounded confused as if he couldn't figure out why his brother was calling at such an odd hour. Ed felt like a dick. _"Did something happen?" _Al's question was innocent, bereft of anything but concern for his brother's welfare.

"No," Ed answered quickly and then amended his statement, "Well, yes." He bit his lip as Al waited patiently. "Maybe." He finally settled on.

"_Do you want to talk about it?" _Al's voice wasn't accusatory, it was gentle and methodical as if he were treating his brother as a science experiment, and he was testing all the variables that went along with it.

"Yes. No. Al, I don't know. I'm…a little lost."

"_I'm going to assume not physically since you're calling from a phone, and I highly doubt the Brigadier-General would let you get lost –" _Al stopped talking as he heard the hitch in his brother's voice at the word 'brigadier-general' and then asked, _"Did he do something to you?" _

Al's voice had dropped low and Ed had immediately lied, "No." but it was too quick, too harsh and Ed could hear Al's teeth grinding. "Okay, yes. We had…sex. But it was consensual!" he got out in a rush. "And, well, it might be going somewhere. But. I feel lost. I don't know what to do, how to act, what to say half the time."

Al laughed into the phone. _"Oh, Brother! You don't act any differently, even you should know that!" _Ed swore he could see his brother smiling. _"He knows you almost as well as I do. I highly doubt you're a casual affair for him – he knows you, knows how you act, how horrible your mouth is –"_

"HEY!" Ed protested.

"_You have absolutely nothing to worry about." _Ed could swear Al's eyebrows were jiggling even over the phone. _"Was he good?" _

Ed felt his face take on a new level of the color red. He managed to stammer, "Y-you don't need to know that!"

Al sighed, _"As long as he doesn't hurt you I'll leave him in once piece." _

One piece? Ed thought, my brother has really picked up a vindictive streak.

"Thanks, Al, you always manage to calm me somehow."

"_I appreciate the sentiment. Do you know when you're going to get back?" _

"Soon I expect. We're finding that things are not as they seem here. A little bit more of investigating and we should be back."

"_Okay. Goodnight Brother. Sleep well." _

"_Night Al." _

Ed replaced the phone softly in the cradle and climbed back into bed, sleep overwhelming him quickly.

Yet, it was not a peaceful sleep. He descended into nightmares. Nightmares that he thought he'd long ago lost.

"_Mom!" _

"_Mom!" he cried as he saw her sprawled across their kitchen floor, unmoving, so still he thought for a moment she was already did. But he noticed just as quickly there was a bit of rise and fall to her chest, labored, painful breaths._

_Ed scrabbled across the floor, stepping on the fruit as he knelt by her side and shook her. Her head lolled back on her neck but she didn't move. Her mouth fell open a bit as she gasped for breaths that just weren't coming. Each breath looked like it was to be her last. _

_Ed was scared, scared, scared, he was terrified, but he had to be strong for Al. Al. Alphonse! He turned to see his younger brother standing scared stiff in the doorway. _

"_Go get Aunty Pinako!" he called out hastily. "Run!" _

_He saw Al manage to get himself unstuck from the doorway and fly out through the yard and down the path. Ed looked back at their mother, her normally soft and lustrous hair was now dull and rough. _

_How had they not noticed that she was getting sick, that she wasn't feeling well? _

_Ed tried to lift her and drag her to her room, but he was too small, she was too heavy despite her weight and size. He simply didn't have enough strength or leverage to lift a full grown woman all on his own. For a moment he wished their father was here – that he was here to comfort them. But he banished that thought as quickly as it had come, fear rising up in his mind as he swore he saw his mother's chest rising. _

_He panicked and his hands clenched and unclenched as he struggled to remember what to do. He read a lot of books…he should know. _

_He pressed his small fingers to the pulse in her neck. He'd read somewhere that you did that to tell if a person was alive or not. He wasn't quite sure what he was looking for. How many beats was it? How many beats was he supposed to count out now? He tried, but his mind stalled so often he gave up and just kept his fingers there to make sure she was still breathing. He couldn't move her. All he could do was sit here and wait for help to come. _

_Very soon he could hear hurried footsteps returning and a gasp, that was definitely Aunty Pinako and then her voice was quieter as she knelt down by Ed's side and pulled his fingers off his mother's pulse. "Come, Ed, come on. Go outside. Go outside now." _

_Ed mechanically followed her instructions and saw Al sitting on the ground crying. He couldn't cry, he had to be the strong big brother. He had to take care of Al. Al needed him. He sat down next to Al and put his arms around his knees, hugging them. _

_Al sniffled. "Do you think she's going to be okay?" _

_Ed didn't know how to answer and his lower lip trembled and he could feel the tears beading on his lashes as two men from the village rushed up their path and into the house. _

_Ed felt like his heart was breaking. _

"_I don't know…I don't know…" he whispered honestly. _

Slowly the vision of being outside turned to Ed kneeling on the floor of his mother's room, voices surrounding them, the comforting lull of his mother's hand on his head. Her voice warm and honest as she talked to Aunty and the doctor that was hovering above her.

"_Yes, I feel better today, thank you Doctor." _

_He smiled a sad smile. "It might be only for a little while though, Mrs. Elric. You can never know." He turned to Pinako. "It'd be a good idea to keep an eye on her, to see how she's doing. Sickness can be very tricky." He looked down at Ed and Al. "You two are good boys aren't you, you'll take care of and keep an eye on your mother won't you?" _

_Ed looked up at the doctor's face and nodded, his hands clenching in the bed sheets. _

"_Of course they are, my two wonderful boys." He felt her hands ruffle his hair and he relented and climbed up into the bed with her. _

_The doctor nodded. "I'll be back in a week to check on your progress." He lifted his hat. "Good day." And he left. _

_Pinako moved into the kitchen and Ed could hear her fiddling around, she was probably making a few meals for them so that they didn't starve. His mother patted his shoulder and pulled him to lie against her, Al on one side and Ed on the other. _

"_My two little me," she whispered and kissed their foreheads. _

"_I love you, my darlings, don't forget that." _

_Pinako came in to check on them, and Trisha smiled wearily as the older woman bent over to pick up the boys and said, "Leave them, I enjoy having them next to me. I don't know how much longer I'll be able to appreciate this," _

_And Ed dug his face into his mother's side and did his best not to cry. He was a big boy. Big boys didn't cry. _

Ever so slowly it shifted to Ed standing still by his mother's bed, his mother lying still and pale on the white, white sheets. Her eyes closed and…

_Ed swiped at the few tears that trickled down his cheeks. In the other room he could hear his little brother howling, howling, and pain echoed down his back, down, down, down. He squeezed his fists and promised himself that he would always take care of his little brother, no matter the cost. He would always protect him. _

_Ed shivered as he watched two men dressed in black lift their mother up and place her in a simple wooden box, and then he followed them as they loaded it onto the back of a wagon and began to drive. Pinako took his and Al's hands and they walked together. _

_Al was still crying and Ed wanted to, and Aunty too was struggling, but Ed wondered if it was okay for him to…_

_And then it was over and they were left to themselves. _

_Al's needs came first and they walked back…Ed slowly plotting…_

"_MOM!" Ed screamed. _

_Blood, blood, blood. So much blood. Blood. There was blood everywhere, and that thing, that thing was not mom, and his leg, it had taken his leg, and it hurt, hurt, hurt. It hurt and Al, where was Al, oh it had taken Al. Al, Al, Al. He had to get Al. He had to get Al back. Al. Al. His little brother. He couldn't lose his little brother. He'd promised to always protect him, how was this protecting him? He'd lost him through his hubris. I'm Icarus he thought angrily as he tied his leg tightly and dragged himself over to the armor. Think, think, think. Think, Ed, think! _

_And then…fear, anger, a little girl, her pet dog, her _father_. _

His head whipped back and forth on the pillow as he dreamed, "Sorry, sorry," he whimpered over and over, "my fault, it's all my fault. Al, Al! Come back Al! Please, please, please forgive me!" Ed sobbed into the empty room, "Please, I'm so sorry, so sorry, forgive me!"


	27. Chapter 27

Roy was dreaming of Ishval, the fires that tore through the air, that roasted mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children in their homes. And Roy remembered all the horror, all the destruction, all the death and then, Riza and Maes were at his side, backing him up as they marched across the fields of death, as they laid waste to a once great city. Torment reined in their minds and hearts. _We have to follow orders. We must always follow orders._ And out of the darkness, a light rose. Maes faith in him, that he would reach the top.

God, Maes, how I miss you. You have no idea what you meant to me. Everything we planned, everything we shared and you had to go and die before me. Do you know that I wanted nothing more than to avenge your death. I would have gladly killed anyone in my way to get that. I hated, hated, my vengeance burned brighter than the flames I wielded in Ishval. But it was because of an Ishvalan and Edward, Edward who you always believed would be one of the greatest things I'd ever decided on, that I stopped and didn't allow the flames of vengeance to consume me. I owe them both a great debt. I owe you a great debt.

He tossed and turned beneath his blankets, at first too hot, then too cold, and then his sheets were scratchy and there was no comfort.

_I wish I knew what to do Maes,_ and he dreamed Maes was there. He dreamed the man who always shoved pictures of the family he loved more than anything into everybody's faces, he dreamed the serious man who would do anything for the people he loved, the laid bak and carefree man he had known in their cadet days, he dreamed the tormented Maes, the strong Maes, the Maes who loved and cared about him.

_I miss you. I miss you. _Do you know I thought of so many ways to bring you back to life, I was planning it all out, down to the last detail. All the sigils and everything. Even as I was inventing my own array I was overlapping Edward's, our Edward's. He was a prodigy, so his might work, perhaps he hadn't offered enough. I was prepared and willing to offer everything he had and more. I would have sold my own soul, but it was my own despicable nature that pulled me back.

My mind asked me, can the Elric's afford to lose you, they still need you; you have to help them. You still have a job to do.

Roy shifted in his bed and rolled around, sweat sticking to his skin as he remembered and encounter not long after the Ishval war he'd had.

_The day was dark and rainy and he was sitting out on a park bench, alone. He was thinking back to all the horrifying things he'd done, and he was thinking about _how can I ever repay all that horror and sadness I inflicted on the innocents, will my own death salvage that? _He had bad days like that, where his goal seemed worthless, where he didn't want to continue on, it was only his idealism and his desire to protect people that kept him going. It seemed other had family to help them heal and grieve. _

_He knew Maes didn't talk to his wife about Ishval, knew she left it alone and simply held him when he needed to be held. For a moment Roy wished he had that for himself, but at the same time he would not wish the life he was to lead on anyone. _

_He sat there in the dripping rain and then the rain lifted. He looked up to see a golden haired man standing in front of him, holding an umbrella over his head. His long hair tied back in a ponytail, his suit immaculate. _

"_Young man," his voice was low, "what are you doing out in this rain?" _

"_Thinking," Roy had responded. "It helps me think." _

"_It won't help you any if you're dead." The man responded, and looked down at the bench, but didn't sit. "Something seems to be haunting you."_

"_Aren't all alchemists haunted?" Roy responded a bit weakly. _

_The man raised an eyebrow and said, "Ah. An alchemist? I suppose then you took part in…Ishval?" _

_The question was hesitant, almost wary of his reaction, but Roy nodded and gripped his coat closer. "Sometimes I wish I weren't a dog of the military, but an alchemist is for the people." The older man watched as Roy's eyes blazed. "Which is why I decided I wanted to protect all those who cannot protect themselves." _

"_That'll be hard to do," the golden haired man told him. _

"_Not if I'm Fuhrer it won't." _

_The golden man raised an eyebrow, "That's a long ways from where you are now." _

"_There are people who wish to see change…and they have promised to get me to the top." _

"_I understand that feeling of redemption." The man smacked himself in the chest. "It's here, roaring in my veins, my blood pumps it through my every day. And every day I look for salvation." _

_Roy had looked up, "You're an alchemist?" _

"_Yes," the man didn't even hesitate. "We both have large goals to fill. Neither will be easy, but perhaps, one day we will."_

_He turned to go. "Wait!" Roy called out. "My name's Roy Mustang, what's yours?" _

_The golden haired man turned back to him. "Well, Roy Mustang, my name is Van Hohenheim. I'm sure you've heard of me – "_

_Roy's eyes had grown large. "You are-!" _

_Van Hohenheim smiled. "I hope that we'll meet again one day, Flame Alchemist. I see good things in your future." _

_And Roy could only helplessly watch as the man walked away, his back broad. Roy stood tall. One day, I will be a great alchemist like you one day I'll pass on this wisdom you have given me. _

_While Van Hohenheim was never out of mind, he was pushed to the back, so the day that he got the letters he was surprised. The writing was almost illegible, and it looked to have been written quickly, almost angrily. _

_He opened it and breezed through it with relative ease, _

Dear sir, _how polite Roy thought, whoever was writing had good manners, _

We are currently looking for Van Hohenheim. We have a connection to him. This is of utmost _(before utmost there was a word crossed out, a spelling mistake, perhaps? Roy thought and continued on) _importance. We need to speak with him immediately. It is about his family and some alchemy. If you know of him or have heard of him in recent years, please _(again there were some squiggles crossed out in a hurry) _contact us at the address listed.

_At the bottom there was a name, written with a flourish, _

Edward Elric.

_Roy was intrigued, but he couldn't get away from his work right at this moment and so he put it off for a few weeks, and then finally he gathered up Riza and they took a train to Risembool. When they got there they inquired as to where the Elric house was located. They were pointed in a direction and they followed it. _

_Roy entered and everything was quiet, but on the floor there were droplets of blood and in a hurried motion he followed them. He followed them to a room that contained the most horrific sight. _

_There was an array drawn in chalk on the floor, there was blood everywhere, so much blood, so much blood, how could anyone have survived this? And he dashed upstairs quickly and asked their driver about the the closest house. He said there was a place called Rockbell automail the Elric's sometimes visited. _

_They got back into the wagon and they were off. Riza asked the driver to wait for them and he settled in to wait. _

_Roy walked into the house and into the person he would eventually make his protégé, the person who he would pass Hohenheim's advice onto. _

_But now, _he was a child_? A simple child, a child no more than ten and a boy in armor, and this boy must be an alchemical genius and _Hohenheim_ was their _father_ and then it seemed to explain everything. _

_And as he stared at the boy without his limbs he saw strength and blazing eyes. Strong eyes. Determined eyes and he knew that this boy would be fine. He would make sure this boy would be fine, as Hohenheim had once done for him. _

Roy twisted in the sheets again, the nightmares slowly dying away then, finally, there was a good dream, a dream that made him smile.

_Maes was twisting his handkerchief in his hands with a nervousness that didn't seem right on him. His eyes were large and Roy was sure the man might pass out at any moment. _

_Roy patted him on the back and smiled broadly. "Congratulations!" _

_Maes trembled and made a small noise of horror in the back of his throat. He made an unexpected keening noise that made Roy almost pity him. _

_He peered into Maes eyes and asked gently, "What's wrong?" _

_Another noise came out of this throat and Roy was really worried now. "Are you sick, is something wrong? Do you need me to -?" _

"_No!" Maes squawked and shut his mouth just as quickly. He was sweating profusely and looking this way and that as if he could find an out somewhere. _

_Roy stared at him some more and then Hughes finally relented. "Okay, okay, I'm a little nervous." _

"_A little?" Roy asked a bit dryly once he realized what was going on. "I think you're at more than a little, what are you going to do if you pass out up there? Isn't it the woman who usually passes out?" _

_Maes glared at him, "Don't get snappy at me because you broke your engagement; that was your own choice!" _

_Maes must have seen Roy's hurt look because he looked extremely apologetic and even more upset. "I'm so sorry Roy! I just, how do I…?" _

_Roy had felt sorry for his best friend at that moment, Maes was marrying the girl of his dreams in an hour and the man was so distraught over whether or not this was the best thing for him to do. He was worried that Gracia would eventually regret marrying him due to all the traumas he carried, that she would wake up one day and hate him for everything he had done. Roy wondered if they were looking at the same woman. It was obvious she loved him more than anything in the world, that she would do anything for him, and Roy announced this aloud to Maes. _

"_So stop worrying and let's get you married!" _

_Maes looked towards the bar and ambled over there at a fast pace, grabbing two scotches from the bar tender who looked surprised. Maes handed one to Roy. _

"_A toast to the last hour of my bachelorhood, eh Roy?" and Hughes knocked it back. Roy followed suit, trying not to laugh as Maes coerced the bar tender into giving him two beers, one of which he drowned quiet quickly and was making his way through the second one when Roy snatched it out of his hand and finished it off. _

"_Okay, time to get married," and he led Hughes down the aisle and placed him at the altar. _

_Hughes sniffled and squeezed Roy's hand. "Thanks Roy," he whispered as the seats began to fill. "I owe you one." _

_Roy grinned and patted his shoulder. "Just make sure you have your vows and the ring," and saw his best friend's face go dead white. _

"_I don't know where I put them!" _

_Roy carefully slipped the sheet of paper into his hands and smiled. "Don't worry, I've always got your back." _

_He saw Maes finally relax and grin. _

Roy remembered the next time Maes had panicked, when Elysia was born. He could still here the little girl's cries, but soon they began to turn into something different, a little more horrifying. He tossed onto his side and tried to block them out, but they just wouldn't go away. He rubbed his eyes as he sat up and looked around the room wondering what had woken him up and then he caught the edge of a sob from the other room. His eyes lit upon the door as he heard the words Edward was calling out. He slowly made his way to the door and opened it, peering into the room. He could see Edward tossing and turning, pain written across his features. He stood there at the foot of the bed for a few minutes and glanced at the clock. Three thirteen. Too late to be up, yet too early at the same time. It was the time of day when night was at its darkest, just before dawn. He stood a few minutes more above the bed as he watched the young man thrash in his sheets pleading for forgiveness. It seemed he wasn't the only one dreaming nightmares tonight. Edward threw out a hand that nearly whacked the wall and Roy moved to his side quickly. He sat on the side of the bed and gently placed a hand on the young man's shoulder. Instead he found himself thrown off and a fist nearly landed in his face. He backed off and looked at the thrashing young man.

Roy wished he knew how to wake Edward up. Nightmares were difficult creatures. At times when they were interfered with from the outside they sometimes provoked something in the dream and made it worse. Roy really didn't want to be making things worse for Edward.

Gently he leaned down and shook the young man's shoulder. It only produced more flailing around of limbs.

Gritting his teeth he leaned over and shook Edward again, even harder, hard enough that Ed's head jerked back and he gasped in fear and confusion. He could feel the trembling in the smaller body and he wondered what he could do in a moment like this. It was obviously painful coming up from that dream and Edward, he looked so utterly broken. He looked so utterly lost.

And Roy felt for him.


	28. Chapter 28

Ed felt the shaking all the way down to his bones, and he was crying out, crying out, don't hurt me! Don't hurt me! I'm fragile, and then suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his neck and he was staring at the hotel ceiling and panting, his brain was fried and his body trembled. What is this? How do they work? And he was scared and tired and, and, Roy was there looking down at with…with pity, no, not pity, sadness, the knowledge of what nightmares could do to you and Ed, Ed just broke. He felt the first bit of hotness, wetness on his cheek and he raised a clumsy hand to brush at it – he was crying, and now that he knew he was crying he couldn't stop.

The floodgates had opened and now there was no stopping them.

He could feel Roy's tentative touches and now more than anything he simply wanted to be held, to be loved.

He looked up at Roy and whispered, "Will you hold me?"

And it was as if Roy couldn't get his arms around him fast enough because Roy was there, he was everywhere. He was surrounded by warmth and strength. By love.

He pressed himself close to the man and he felt Roy pull the covers up over both of them, and as they lay together he could feel Roy's warm breaths against his forehead as he breathed. Long legs tangled with his and pressed their bodies close and Ed wanted to be even closer, but this was nice, this was nice for now.

Ed let his eyes close and slowly over the course of an hour his hiccups and sobs fell off until there were only a few tears and then nothing else. He felt a kiss pressed his forehead and then he nuzzled into Roy's shoulder where he finally fell into a peaceful sleep.

Roy watched the young man sleep, he seemed to have gone through more than he cared to admit. Edward's tears had twisted Roy up in funny ways, ways he never knew he could be twisted. He let his own head rest on the pillow above Edward's and he too soon fell into a deep sleep.

Morning light was splaying across the bed and Ed grunted as he sat up, Roy's arm falling into his lap with a thump. Roy cracked an eye and looked up at Ed with something akin to irritation. His mouth curled up into a small smile after a few minutes and his hand slid across Ed's thigh. It didn't get very far before Ed grabbed it and squeezed tightly.

"We've got work to do, serious work if we ever want to get out of this place in the next few years."

Roy laughed. "We were so busy these past few hours, why not just rest for a while, there's nothing pressing…"

"You're still a Brigadier-General. You still have work to do back there. And I need to get you back sooner rather than later."

Mustang frowned and rolled his shoulders before flopping onto his back and folding his arms beneath his head. "Alright then, why don't you map out where we have to go tonight? And then we'll leave as soon as the moon rises."

Ed swung his legs out of bed and murmured "Thanks," to the opposite wall before heading into the bathroom and shutting the door. He clicked the lock and pressed a palm against the door as he struggled to breathe. It seemed to catch in his throat every other breath and it made him nauseous, and dizzy.

Dizzy, Ed thought, made him sound like a girl, but he was that, wasn't he? He'd done the girly thing and _fallen in love_ with _the bastard_ and he actually _liked_ the fact he was in love with Roy. He loved the idea that Roy might like him back. He'd agreed they'd take things slow, see where this relationship was headed, but now, after last night, he knew where he wanted this relationship to head. He knew in the pit of his stomach, in the recesses of his mind and in his heart, he knew, more than he knew anything else, if Roy asked him for all of him, he'd give up himself for Roy. He'd give Roy whatever he desired to make him happy. He'd do anything for Roy, like he'd do anything for Al.

Al had always talked about falling in love, what it was like, how the heart raced and the feelings came, and Ed had always seen it so scientifically and now Ed realized how wrong he was. There was no way to take this scientifically. Love was splendid and wild, passionate and caring, and Ed _loved_ it. He felt a small smile creep across his face and he tried to wipe it off with his hand, but then, as he looked at himself in the mirror, he couldn't. He didn't want to. He had found a happiness he'd been looking for for a long time. His hands touched his reflection's hands and Ed felt like he was a completely different person.

_Abigail, oh Abigail, _he _thought. You were right on so many accounts. But without you, without you we would have never gotten beyond that one night. That one night would have been it. We would have gone about our lives and pretended that it had never happened. Even if we had wanted to talk about it, which we did, we would have said – I know I would have – that it wouldn't work, that there was no way that we would have been able to live in close quarters. We are too different, too stubborn, too prideful, we feel as if we are greater than anybody else. Our futures would have undoubtedly been entangled with each other. We would have worked together, attempting to achieve what others could not…_we will be good together.

Ed's hands flew off the grass and he flung the bathroom door open and panted in a quick burst, his face flushed a deep crimson, "I love you!"


	29. Chapter 29

Roy looked up from his lounging position on the bed as he heard the bathroom door click open all of a sudden.

He got a sort of look at the really red face before,

"I love you!"

And he hadn't thought Ed could get any redder, but apparently he could because Roy swore if Ed got any redder he'd do blue in the face and pass out for lack of oxygen.

He figured Ed realized he had to breath because he let out his breath in a massive explosion. And then he stood there, shifting from foot to foot in discomfort.

Roy paused as he opened his mouth to reply and then got lost as to what he was supposed to say back, but apparently he wasn't supposed to say anything because Ed barrled on,

"I know we discussed this and I agreed that we wouldn't…do anything rash, but, but," and here Ed stumbled, "I can't, I don't even totally understand it, I thought, I thought it was all bogus, that it was just _chemicals_, but it's not, it's something _more_, do you, do you understand that? Or, do you, have you never felt that way? Obviously," Ed seemed to snort, "you felt _something_ for Abigial, or you, you would never have asked her to marry you," Ed's face took on a red hue again, "but I tried, I really did, but, _I love you_, and I think it may be one of the best things to have ever happened to me, and even if you don't feel the same way, it doesn't matter-"

Roy cut Ed off, and very, very softly said, "I love you."

Ed felt his knees wobble then begin to give way as part shock and part happiness shook his smaller frame. Roy was there however to catch him as his knees turned to liquid.

"B-before you said that, that you weren't interested, that you didn't know what this was a prelude to…but now, not even that long – you've admitted that," Ed seemed to have some trouble grasping this new concept, "you love me," and when Ed said it, it sounded so marvelously wonderful and Roy felt a thrill go through him as Ed spoke, "what changed your mind so quickly?"

Roy was quiet as he mulled over the words to say. Ed seemed to sense that Roy was trying to organize his thoughts so he could speak coherently. "Well," he began, "I suppose it's easiest to begin with what I told you. That all still holds true, even now after admitting…_that_. But, as I was telling you those things, other things were tumbling around in my mind, churning, and I knew that things were probably changing. As we spoke my mind was saying one thing and my heart another. My heart knew what it wanted as cheesy as that sounds, and my mind was still unable to comprehend what it hadn't felt for so long. I didn't know how to cope I suppose with these emotions you stir inside of me."

Ed's cheeks were still flushed a startling red color and as the young man tipped his head back Roy had to swallow back the urge to stop talking. "I want nothing more than to hold you in my arms, and keep you in my sight – you do things that would scare a grown man to death,"

Ed placed a hand over Roy's mouth, "I understand, perfectly, what you mean. I feel…the same."

Roy let his hands tangle in Ed's loose hair. "We'll decide how to deal with the rest of this when we get back to Central. I can promise you it won't constitute me abandoning you. I'll still want you with me even when we're back in Central."

Ed pulled free of Roy's now questing hands and moved back into the doorway of the bathroom. "I'm really going to shower now, and then you can have it after me…" he shut the door and again, Roy could hear the snick of the lock.

He knew Ed still valued some of his privacy, and he was inclined to give the young man that much needed space. He was young enough to not be totally interested in completely settling down, but old enough to really start thinking about it.

He leaned on the dresser and started flipping through some of the topography maps Ed had taken from him the night before. He traced his fingers over a line on the map with interest. That must have been the main road that the townspeople and the mountain men took up the mountain. His fingers traced over some of the surrounding hills and mountain ranges with idle curiosity. He knew what the stanza had said, they'd have to go through these mountains and he wondered what exactly they would find at the end of this never ending road.

He let his finger rest on the unnamed valley. The valley wasn't a typical one, the mountains rose large above it, and according to the notes that came with the maps, the valley was always cast in shadow. His eyes scanned for a path that would lead into the valley, but not a single one was marked on the map. As he compared the notes one said,

'_There is no safe path down into the valley. For years there has been a steep slope that none have dared to attempt. Most people who attempt die. The only people who make it down part way and back safely have been alchemists. Even then they struggle. It is not a place meant for humans or animals. It is dark and mysterious.' _

He shook his head and gave a small roll of his eyes. There was nothing mysterious about that valley. The human mind did like to play tricks, and it would be very easy to mistake one thing for another. As to the alchemists, they probably weren't able to get down because their circles kept crumbling as they drew them in the wall. Or well, he supposed they did considering the notes Ed had left on the side of the paper.

He heard the shower shut off and Ed emerged wrapped only in a towel and headed towards his suitcase. He gave a brief smile as Roy waved the notes and raised an eyebrow in question.

Ed shrugged, "It's true," he said. "Most alchemists wouldn't be able to get down there. It was probably intentional." He flipped his wet hair over his shoulder. "Why don't you get your shower and we can get going?"

Roy tugged on Ed's hair and disappeared to shower. The bathroom was still warm with steam from Ed's shower and it didn't take long at all for the water to heat up and when he ducked under the spray he gave a little shiver at the heat.

He scrubbed the dirt from his body and hair before stepping out and grabbing the other towel and typing it about his hips.

He found Ed already dressed when he entered Ed's room after dressing in his own. Ed's hand curled into his sleeve for a moment before letting go. "Breakfast, packing, lunch, packing, then we leave. The more ground we cover in daylight the easier it will be to work tonight."

Roy nodded as they made their way down to the breakfast room. They could see Abigail hovering at the sideboard so they detoured to the back of the room where it was quiet and they could talk without being overheard.

Ed was inhaling his food almost as fast as one blinked and Roy wondered where exactly it all went, and he did his best to keep his smirk to himself, but Ed must have sensed something because he caught an automail foot in his shin.

Ed let his eye's become half lidded as he spoke, "If we hurry, we might have some time,"

And Roy was lost.


	30. Chapter 30

They showered for the second time that day, and Edward had been quite willing to be cuddled for a bit before they managed to untangle themselves and get down to business.

Ed was stuffing more books than clothing into his suitcase and Roy wondered how that was going to work.

"Ed, don't you need clothes?"

Edward glanced up at him as he stuck a second pair of pants and a shirt into his suitcase. "Uhm," he said under his breath, before adding the third set of clothes and trying to sit on the suitcase and close it.

Roy leaned forward and buckled it for him. Ed grinned and leaned back, drawing his feet up onto his suitcase and wrapping his arms about them.

"Well," he said, "we still need to, uh," Ed grimaced. "What do we do?"

Roy shook his head. "You still try and go in half-cocked. That's why you were always getting into so much trouble as a kid. Preparation takes time."

Ed snorted, leaned back and fell off his suitcase.

Roy had the joy of laughing at him. Ed sat up rubbing his head and grumbling.

"If you're going to be like that, then why don't you go and 'get those supplies' that we need."

Roy leaned forward, kissed Ed and said, "I already ordered them, they're waiting in the general store for us."

Ed let his lips brush against Roy's as they talked, "How are we carrying them all there?"

"By horse, a car is not maneuverable enough for where we're going, so we're taking horses."

Ed grimaced, and sighed standing up. "In that case, let's get a move on so it's not completely dark when we get there."

Roy hitched the packs to the extra horses back and watched as Edward prodded his horse with a suspicious finger. He knew Ed knew how to ride, but he also knew Ed wasn't terribly fond of it, so he knew he would have to distract Ed some.

He heard Edward grunt as he swung up into the horse's saddle. Roy could see out of the corner of his eye that Ed had left his feet dangling free of the stirrups. Something only a person comfortable with riding would do.

Roy hopped to and managed to mount in a quite dignified way if he did say so. Ed seemed to agree because his eyes had dilated pretty quickly once they were eye level.

The older man grinned. The afternoon sun was unwavering in its intensity. Even though they were in colder climate the sun was still exceedingly warm and it shone down on them. Ed could feel his hair becoming hot and heavy. Even his automail felt ridiculously hot. But at the time began to pass on, his body began to adjust to the fact that it was so warm in a colder climate.

And his mind spun with the implications of it. What was going on here? What was with this change in weather, Edward sincerely wanted to know. If Mustang was curious it didn't show on his face.

Ed thanked the god he didn't believe in when late afternoon began to set in and the heat and the sun finally began to die away.

He shifted his weight forward in the saddle as he grabbed at his water canteen and took a big gulp of it, wiping away the extra with the back of his gloved hand. He noticed Mustang had ditched his gloves and had left them in his trousers pocket.

Roy seemed at ease in this changing weather, but he supposed that was simply the man's façade He was amazingly hard to read at times, even when Ed knew him so well, so intimately. He could feel the man glance over at him after a moment and Ed pretended not to know that he was being looked at. He could feel the first heat of a blush stealing up his face and he cursed Roy for making him feel so young and helpless at times.

He shot a glare at the man for good measure before letting his horse's stride fall back so they weren't riding side by side anymore.

Roy did not seem bothered. Ed wondered what exactly bothered the man. He knew so little about him, aside from his military career, and Abigail at this point. He hesitated then called out from a little ways behind,

"You know all about me, partly because you've known me so much of my life, there's very little you don't know. What about you? Where did you come from?"

He saw Roy turn his head slightly, and he realized Roy had acknowledged his point. "If you come and ride besides me I'll tell you all about it."

Ed let his lips twist down for a moment but compromised in the end. "So tell me."

Roy sighed and pursed his lips. "My father was the son of a Xingese immigrant. My mother was an Amestrian citizen. They both died when I was still young. Thankfully my father's sister, Chris Mustang was around. She took me in and adopted me as her son." Roy seemed to smile a little ruefully. "I played around with alchemy just a bit as a kid but not much. I was much more interested in other things at that time. I had an enjoyable childhood and schooling. There was one little catch though. My aunt ran a brothel."

"Your aunt owns a whorehouse?" Ed's voice took on a tinge of embarrassed fear.

Roy gave him a small grin, "And I was exposed to a variety of things at a young age. My aunt always said that was why I turned out the way I did. Anyways, it was later that I studied with Berthold Hawkeye." Ed's eyebrows shot up, "But I don't need to tell you about that as I'm very well aware Hawkeye filled you in on things that she probably shouldn't have. I'll leave that alone for now. I met Maes as you know in academy and Abigail as well, and then Officer's School, the Ishval War and that's about where you come in."

"But that's not really about you, you could be telling me so much more!"

"I still don't know that much about you, that's half the fun of having a partner, there's always something you don't know."

Ed scowled but stared up at the large mountain that was framed by the setting sun.

"We're almost there aren't we?" he asked softly.

"Yes," Roy replied, "Into the belly of the beast."

38255


	31. Chapter 31

Belly of the beast it was, it reminded Ed very much of the time Gluttony swallowed them. They had dismounted and gone to the edge of the cliff and peered over. It was dangerously steep and there seemed to be no logical way down for an alchemist.

A normal alchemist at any rate.

Ed looked down once more before turning to Roy. "You've got it easy. All you have to do is clap and create steps. No need to keep creating them. But only do a few steps at a time."

Roy touched his palms together and planted them on the valley side. Steps suddenly descended and Ed, holding the horse's reins, descended after Roy. Every couple of feet Roy would create steps and so they worked their way down the mountainside in this way. Ed was quite cheerful about this whole thing. Roy had rather thought Ed would have sunk into a depression because he was now unable to perform the alchemy that had once been inherent to him.

They reached the bottom after a few hours, but they were exhausted, especially Roy who had used up so much of his energy creating the steps to get them down. They were struggling to stifle their yawns and finally Roy made a decision.

"Edward, stop."

Ed frowned. "We can't rest!"

"Yes, we can. Otherwise we'll be too exhausted to continue. Look, it's only four o'clock, let's sleep for two hours and by then the moon will be fully up. I don't think I can go on much longer, that alchemy really sapped my strength."

Ed gave a fierce scowl and Roy responded with, "We don't all have as much alchemical energy as some people, so don't give me that look, Ed. I know you know better. I also know you had better stamina for performing alchemy. I have never used it that extensively in a long while."

"You're out of practice," Ed told him a bit sulkily, but he was curling up on a blanket he had placed on the ground. "Two hours Mustang," Ed ground out, "then we move on."

Ed tossed him an alarm clock he had apparently stolen from the inn. "Set it and we'll certainly be able to wake up in time."

Roy wondered where Ed got all this gall from.

It was sudden and fierce and it brought them both out of the deep sleep they had fallen into. Ed tapped the ground searching for the offensive object but Roy got to it before him and their hands brushed briefly against each other.

Ed didn't pull his hand back, but he sighed as he looked up into the sky at the stars and the moon. "Now is as good a time as any, isn't it?"

Roy nodded and they both rose and remounted their horses. The valley was long and stretched in both directions. Ed took them south as they followed the winding valley from the one end to the other.

Eyes searched the sides looking for hints of a door, of anything, that might lead them to their goal. Edward found it particularly onerous, and he commented as such.

Roy had given him _that look_ and Ed had become quiet. It was about one in the morning when Ed's horse tripped over it. Ed grunted as he was woken from his half doze and he looked down blearily to see something glinting in the moonlight. His sleepiness began to fade as he realized what he was looking at.

He dismounted and took a closer look at it. It was about that time Roy noticed Ed wasn't following him and turned back to question him. He found Ed following a trail of something. Ed's whole body posture spoke of triumph. He held up one sparkling piece of gold. "I think," he drawled. "We're in the right place."

Roy moved his horse forward to stand beside Ed. He took one of the gold pieces Ed held and turned them over and over in his hands nodding. "This looks like real gold to me."

The older man dismounted from his horse and the two began to scavenge at the earth closely, looking for any clues as to where an entrance might be found.

Ed shook his head, "It's possible that these simply got kicked this way. Let's walk on further and see if anything turns up."

A few more pieces of gold did turn up and Ed was delighted his theory was holding. "They were leading away from the darker part, so somebody left with it but they dropped pieces as they left. It's curious though, that nobody has ever desired to really try and come down here."

"You saw all the writings on this place though. It was shrouded in so much mystery and 'darkness' that people were entirely scared of it. Plus, it's not a widely known story either. It's a local story, it wouldn't have travelled far. And by this time it was simply a local legend and nothing more."

Edward frowned as he tossed a gold piece in the air. "Well, better for us then, I suppose."

He ducked around a corner and turned to the left and came face to face with a solid stone wall. He blinked in surprise and took a step back, bumping into Roy. Roy was leaning around Ed and feeling the wall up and down, most likely looking for a switch to activate the door.

Roy's fingers finally pressed into an indent in the rock and the rock began to swivel. They slipped through to the other side.

Both men stood and stared with shock at the city spread out below them. It was gold and there was absolute beauty everywhere. Ed descended to one of the lower levels and strolled about for a few minutes.

He let his hands run along the walls for a few moments before dropping them and staring with a bit of horror on his face. Not a bad horror, but a horror that spoke of something that wasn't as expected.

"Roy," he breathed. "Roy," he whispered again. "It wasn't true."

"What do you mean?" Roy asked as he too began to inspect the walls. He also felt what Ed was talking about.

"The gold…it's all fake. Pyrite and other substances to look like gold…but not actually gold."

Ed gave a little laugh. "All this trouble…and it ended up being fake!"


	32. Epilogue

There was a quietness to Edward for the next few days upon their return to Central. The few times Roy had actually managed to see Edward he'd found that Ed was struggling with the decoding some document or another.

Ed rarely talked about what he was doing, not out of disrespect, but out of intense focus. Roy didn't mind just sitting and watching Ed as he read or took notes, as he filed things away in that oversized brain of his.

If Edward disliked his presence in his house he didn't remark on it. Most of the time he simply left the door unlocked and told Roy to come in.

Roy had once questioned whether leaving the door unlocked was such a good idea. Ed had raised his eyebrow with an expression of slight incredulity. "Roy," he enunciated, "I'm an expert at martial arts. I'd be fine."

Roy had laughed and touched the top of Ed's head gently.

They passed in this type of pseudo-camaraderie for the next few months, never testing this new relationship too terribly much, they avoided touchy topics and did their best not to fight. When either of them got over-excited or angry it generally ended in shouting and thrown objects (that was mostly due to Ed, though);

Ed's volatile temper could at times get in the way, but he was always repentant after he'd done something he knew was wrong.

Roy was grateful that this older Ed had become more contrite if not more humble. Roy also knew that he himself should be more humble as well. Actually, if he thought about it, he should be grateful that Ed even bothered to grace him with his presence. Ed was a genius, a prodigy, a man like no other. He had been one of the most powerful alchemists and an expert at martial arts. That had made him dangerous. Even with the loss of his alchemy he was still an extremely dangerous person, as evidenced by his confidence in leaving the door unlocked.

It was one afternoon in the fading light when Ed was still hunched over his book reading that he started to speak. "You know," he began, then stopped as he turned about to see surprise on Roy's face. "What?" he asked with what sounded like irritation in his voice.

"You _never_ talk to me while you're working, you're absolutely out of it, your head in the clouds."

Ed scowled. "I am not!" he protested.

"One example, give me one example Ed, and I'll leave the subject alone."

Ed opened his mouth only to close it a few moments later. His brows furrowed and his mouth tipped down at the corners. He propped his chin up in his hand and let a huff of air out through his nose. Finally he threw up his arms, "All right! I give up!"

Roy grinned and leaned back in his chair acting like a smug cat. He wasn't expecting Ed's weight in his arms and jerked in surprise when Ed's thighs fell on either side of his legs.

"Hi," he murmured, smiling.

"Hi," Roy breathed back and kissed him.

The sofa wasn't exactly the most comfortable place in the world, but with Ed running his hands down his chest like that Roy wasn't keen on moving any time soon. Ed seemed to sense this as he rose to his knees, then his feet and pulled Roy up with him.

Roy followed docilely as they went into Ed's room and Ed's arms curved around his neck and he was kissed with all sorts of enthusiasm.

He kissed Ed back and lifted him up onto the bed where he sprawled in a delicious tangle of limbs. Ed's hands found his buckle and slid the last of his clothes off. Eagerly he pulled Ed's from his body as well. It slowed down from there, perhaps Ed decided to let him take his time, or perhaps Ed was just humouring him, but no matter the reason Roy was grateful Ed wasn't in a rush to finish this quickly. He drew warm hands around Ed's sides, hips, buttocks and Ed arched into the touches. But he wasn't passive in the least. He returned each of Roy's caresses with one of his own. They were content just to explore each for a bit, and then Ed began to get impatient. He tugged at Roy's arms and Roy took the hint.

It was always humbling to be allowed to see Ed, to have him in this way. Ed's eyes would become narrow slits as they moved together and his neck would give a little arch and his teeth would clench as he resisted the urge to shout.

Ed was beautiful in unimaginable ways, and yet he didn't recognize it, but Roy did. Roy knew that Ed was, and always would be, a better man than he.

Ed's fingers dug into Roy's side afterwards, and he murmured, "Wild, isn't it?"

"What?" Roy asked later as they stared out at the stars through the window, but Ed just smiled and tilted his head back for a kiss.


End file.
